Tips to Use Dating Apps to Find Love or a Casual Date
Because Apparently, This Is How We Meet People Now
In the past, people used to meet their partners at dubious parties thrown by mutual friends, coffee shops, or bookstores. Today, scanning through your phone while binge-watching a crime documentary is the norm for finding love, or whatever we're calling it these days. The saying "love is in the air" has been superseded by "love is in the algorithm" in the twenty-first century. Don't worry if you don't know how to use dating apps in the modern dating world; I've got you covered with the tips for finding love on apps. Or your sarcastic inner monologue, anyway.
Select Your Weapon, well of course Dating App
You have to pick a dating app before beginning this online romance. However, keep in mind that not all dating apps are created alike. Everyone has their own unspoken rules, culture, and mood. Here's a summary:
NO NAMES: For people who prefer to cut out the small talk and start planning right away. You can publish a date idea here, and people can accept or reject it without having to engage in any unnecessary conversation. For those who prefer action to words and think that compatibility is best tested in real-world situations, this is ideal.
Tinder: For times when you're feeling lazy or adventurous. Since everyone has used it and the menu is the same everywhere, this app is the McDonald's of dating.
Bumble: For those who prefer to act forward-thinking but yet end up ignoring you. Here, women initiate contact, which seems empowering until you discover that no one is messaging.
Hinge: This dating app was made to be deleted, which paradoxically compels you to do so within a week—out of annoyance.
Grindr (or similar platforms): This is your one-stop shop for carefree enjoyment.
Because nothing says romance like connecting over dietary restrictions, try FarmersOnly, ChristianMingle, or GlutenFreeSingles.
Download and choose your poison. Officially, you are now a member of the online dating circus.
Step 2: Create a Profile That Makes You Want to Date Me!
Creating a dating profile is similar to drafting a résumé, except for romantic relationships. Lying about your height is only expected here. Here's how to make the best possible first impression online:
Types of Profile Pictures:
Do: Make sure your photo is crisp and shows you as a functioning human being. If you're carrying a cute dog—or borrowing one for the photo—you get extra points.
Avoid posting group images where no one can identify you, gym selfies, or that blurry 2012 photo when you appear to have just seen a ghost.
Bio Tips:
Nobody wants to read your autobiography, so keep it short. Don't tell your therapist that.
Steer clear of clichés: Sayings like "I love long walks on the beach" are so common that even beaches get sick of hearing them.
Except when you're on NO NAMES, the 30-second app. A well-curated profile is not necessary here. Simply make a date plan, such as "a meal at your favorite restaurant" or "coffee at 3 PM, downtown café," and watch for someone to fall for it. When a solid plan is all you need, who has time for bios?
Step 3: Getting the Swipe Right
Swiping is not a science; it's an art. If you're interested, swipe right; if not, swipe left; and if you're not, swipe up. Hold on, is that functionality even used by anyone?
Pro Tips on Swiping:
This isn't a popularity contest, so don't swipe on everyone. Or perhaps it is, but at least act as though you have expectations.
Refrain from superliking: Unless you want to appear desperate. Furthermore, nobody wants to appear desperate, I assure you.
You can only browse potential dates on NO NAMES; there is no swiping. It's refreshing. You're evaluating someone based on whether or not their concept of fun aligns with your own, rather than on their vacation pictures. Do you like hopping ice cream trucks? Indeed. On a first date, skydiving? Perhaps swipe left, lol.
Step 4: The Chatting Phase (Without Sounding Robotic)
Well done! Someone matched with you. The difficult part now is speaking with them.
First Phrases That (Most Likely) Won't Be Ignored:
Hey, it looks like you enjoy trekking. Which of your trails is the most overrated?
"What is the one snack you would bring if we were stuck on a deserted island?"
"So, are we fabricating a meet-cute or telling people we met on a dating app?"
Avoid these lines at all costs:
"Hi." (This isn't 2003. You're better than this.)
Anything a little too sexy or spooky. If you don't feel that way, then scare them away. This step is blissfully irrelevant because of NO NAMES. No attempt to decipher ambiguous emoticons or awkward small talk. Just show up and accept a plan. It's comparable to the dating version of jumping directly to the film without watching the trailers.
Step 5: Planning the Date (also known as Escaping the Chat Black Hole)
Don't let the conversation end if it's going well. Before you find yourself in the dreaded "match-but-never-meet" situation, propose a real date.
Ideas for an Initial Date:
Coffee: Easy to quit, low commitment.
Drinks: A little more dangerous, but great for socially awkward people.
Something imaginative, like some creative activity (since nothing says romance like doing something you love to do), mini-golf, or a cute pottery date.
Pro Tip: Have a backup plan at all times. Feel free to swipe left in real life if they recommend a first date that involves "Netflix and chill."
Naturally, the plan is already in place if you're on NO NAMES, probably going to be one of the best dating apps in 2025. You agreed when someone proposed a food truck festival. There is no need for constant back and forth or concern over "what do you want to do?" It's effective, and in all honesty, we could all benefit from a little more of that in our hectic lives.
Step 6: Managing Expectations
Let's face it, not every match will result in a romantic sequence set to Ed Sheeran or your soulmate. It's acceptable for some individuals to be there purely for enjoyment. People will abandon you more quickly than a scary home. In a way, that's also acceptable.
Three Results of Internet Dating:
It's uncommon, but not impossible, to find love online. Then came a cheesy "How We Met" narrative and wedding bells.
If both of you are in agreement, finding a casual date is fantastic.
You Discover Nothing: Hey, you can share another amusing screenshot to your group chat.
The results are similarly simplified for NO NAMES users. You can either show up there and have a good time, gracefully turn down the next date, or make fun of the fact that someone thought the "pineapple pizza taste test" was a decent idea for a first date.
Finding Yourself a Date Made Easier
So there you have it: your guide to navigating the crazy dating app world. Will you fall in love? Possibly. Will you be able to laugh about something? Absolutely. Finding a connection, whether romantic or not, ultimately comes down to being authentic. Or at least the curated, filtered version of yourself that you have chosen to display online. Additionally, if you're using NO NAMES, keep in mind that often the most meaningful connections are formed when you cut out the nonsense and go right to the fun, and something matches your vibe - on your first date.
