'Match' with this Article: The Pros & Cons of Dating Apps

Nearly half of Angelino singles have utilized a dating app at some point. The coined statistic “every 1 out of 3” has done this or that can correlate with the utilization of dating apps. In other words, if you approach three people and ask them if either of them have used one of the many social matchmaking apps, I am almost certain at least one of their responses would be ‘yes.’

I can recall many years ago using dating apps seemed as if it were equivalent to using the bathroom and not washing your hands; it was frowned upon. 

Okay, maybe it wasn’t that dramatic, but you get the point. 

It was almost embarrassing to admit that you made a dating profile and were meeting potential beaus online. Well, times have certainly changed and now more and more single individuals are connecting through a dating app. There might be a plethora of reasons as to why you are considering finding digital love. Maybe you’re an introvert who doesn’t go out much or doesn’t have time to bar hop with friends because of your busy schedule. Maybe when you do go out, the guy or girl you have your eyes on the entire night, couldn’t work up the nerve to ask you for your number. Maybe those who get the courage to approach you are only looking for something temporary while you may be looking for a life partner. Whatever your situation is, maybe just maybe a dating app seems most convenient at the time.

Well, let’s go over some pros and cons of switching to finding love using an app.

Pros:

1.) Convenient and Easily Accessible - The thought of doing your hair, makeup, and trying on/changing your mind on what clothes to wear for the night might seem pretty exhausting. Let alone getting off of a full day’s work and having to get ready to stand in heels for the night sounds daunting. Using a dating app is convenient for those who want to find love while not having to physically go out. Whether or not you are at work on your lunch break or at home on a Friday night, swiping left and right seems much more doable for those with busy schedules. Not to mention, creating an account is fast, and mostly free (depending on what membership(s) you choose.

2.) Narrows down who’s serious vs. who isn’t - Sports and video aren’t the only games men and women can play; they play people too. Having said, it’s refreshing to know that most sites allow users to indicate what they are looking for. So if you’re looking for something on the more serious side you are able to make that visible on your profile. You are also able to narrow down searches by matching with users who are looking for the same dating goals as you.

3.) Eliminates the anxiety of in-person interaction(s) - If you struggle with social anxiety or the thought of approaching someone makes you nervous, joining a dating app can be a possible solution. This way you can be in the comfortability of your own home while you are getting to know someone new.

4.) Eliminates having to give out personal information -  Instead of giving someone your number or social media handles, you can simply message them on the app. There are some sketchy people in this world and before exchanging personal information with them, you can get to know them better by instant messaging. These apps do not give out any information, and highly suggest you are super cautious before doing so.

Cons:

1.) Too many options - While it might sound amazing to have a variety of potential boos in front of you, it can be overwhelming. In some cases, you might be having conversations with 5+ people. This means you are having 5 or more conversations daily with different people with diverse personalities. This can be A LOT for someone who is used to only conversing with one person at a time.

Too many options also equates to certain users having to pick and choose who they want to connect with outside of the app. This means that you can be talking to Brandon today, but Brandon is also talking to Brenda. You enjoy talking to Brandon and feel he can potentially be your partner. However, he might enjoy Brenda’s conversation a little more or they might connect on a deeper level. This means that Brandon might slow conversations down with you, or completely ghost you.

2.) Meaningless Conversations - If you’re the type of individual who gets annoyed at the “good morning, beautiful” or “wyd” text messages, brace yourself, because you are going to be getting a lot of those on a dating app. Like I stated above, you can potentially be talking to a plethora of men and women. Everyone on there has a goal in mind - either to find the love of their life or someone to just have fun with and enjoy each other’s company. This means that your notifications might be going off at all hours of the day/night.

3.) Those who lie about what they are really looking for - You might have the occasional user whose profile reads that they are looking for something serious and then a few conversations in, asks you to send explicit photos or take the conversation to a more intimate level - or vice versa. It’s important to be intentional with what you are looking for so you can weed out any confusion later on.

4.) Having to get to know someone all over again - As discussed, you are liable to run into some suspicious people on these apps which means that you may have to block them and start completely fresh with someone new. This means that the “what’s your favorite color?” or “what do you do for fun?” questions might arise very often.

The list of pros and cons can go on and on… and on - but, I do not want you to read this and make a decision. I want you to make the decision to utilize a dating app on your own. Remember, you have to do what is best for you, and no one else. Always put yourself first, and most importantly follow your intuition. If something feels “off,” chances are it is. Always go with your gut.

Love,

The Neighborhood Homegirl