The pandemic has changed lots of things in our lives: working from home, not seeing our friends and family, and an increased awareness of personal space.
However, it has also highlighted loneliness and the need for social interaction more than ever. In December 2020, ONS data reported that 37% of 16-29-year olds and 27% of 30-49-year olds felt lonely.
The online dating scene has always been a growing phenomenon with the rise of social media but the major apps have reported an exponential growth in users throughout 2020. Tinder had 6.6. million paid subscribers in the September 2020 quarter, taking its total worldwide users to around 50 million. Bumble also reported that the use of their in-app video and phone call features were up 21 per cent at the beginning of the pandemic.
So, how are people changing their dating habits to keep their love lives active?
Many people have been able to go on socially distanced dates over the summer and in the lower tier areas, but these dates still have their issues when you can only meet outside and the hospitality sector is closed.
36-year-old George from London has learnt how to adapt, especially in the cold weather: “I wrap up warm and go for walks in the park with a thermos of mulled wine or a picnic. Unexpected showers can make it a weird experience if you have to shelter under one umbrella with someone you don’t really fancy.”
47-year-old Lewis from south-west London said that dating during the pandemic has been a refreshing change for him: “I’ve been on 12 dates since May 2020 using Tinder, Bumble, and Match.com”.
“It felt like people were dipping their toes into the water without wanting to commit. Perhaps it was because the world was changing due to COVID and getting a new relationship was a change too far?”
“It did feel like being a teenager again, drinking in the park on a lovely summer’s evening! I will definitely do it again, it was lovely.”
“Dating at the moment is definitely harder. Perhaps it’s a generational thing but I much prefer seeing people face to face. Electronic contact tends to drift. My male friends all say the same.”
The UK entered its third national lockdown on Wednesday 6th January sending many singles online again. It has also meant that dating apps have had to adjust themselves in order to stay relevant to their users.
Tinder has made its premium ‘passport feature’ free to all users, meaning they can connect with people all over the world rather than those within 100 miles of their location.
Dating app Inner Circle, which was launched in the UK in 2013, has now created refundmyshitdate.com, a website designed to help people offload about their less-than-ideal dates and win back prizes in return.
One story reads: “Peak lockdown, I went on a date in a park but all the toilets were closed. I was 45 minutes from home and was really enjoying myself, so I didn’t want to go home. I took a chance and went to the toilet in a close by bush but ended up getting caught and getting a £100 fine. And then he ghosted me!”
CEO of Inner Circle David Vermeulen said: “We want to help people by giving them something to offset any emotional damage they’ve experienced.”
“This campaign is our way of helping people get back on their feet before they start thinking about dating again.”
The Intro, an app founded months before the March 2020 lockdown, uses an algorithm to identify outdoor spaces in London close to two users’ locations to allow them to meet in person. However, during the summer of 2020 when restrictions were relaxed, 60% of users were still dating online demonstrating the virtual preference of many online dating apps.
24-year-old Erin from Bradford FaceTimed a date after meeting them on a dating app: “It was very nerve wrecking!”
“It was slightly awkward at first but still went well! I ended up meeting him a few times after the virtual date.”
George has also tried some virtual dates: “The first was fun as we showed each other around our flats which made our differences very obvious … but I suppose that was useful.”
It is hard to get a first impression of someone via an app or video link as we like to form relationships with people face to face. It will be interesting to see if the pandemic changes the way we date and reduces the urgency of meeting face-to-face. Or perhaps things will revert back to the old-fashioned meeting in a pub for a pint or a glass of wine.
What it has proved though is that people have not lost the urge to connect with others throughout the pandemic; socially or romantically.
Martha Wilson
Featured image courtesy of Markus Winkler via Unsplash. Image license is available here. No changes have been made to this image.
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