For some, finding love during the pandemic has felt like cycling uphill—leaving some winded and on the verge of giving up the search. With Covid-19 hot on our tails, having a one-on-one date with someone has been almost impossible.
Covid-19 has been determined to keep us apart, and even when we meet with our dates, it is difficult to connect with someone six feet apart.
One can argue that online dating apps have aided hundreds in finding love despite the pandemic being present. To some degree, that might be true, seeing that dating app usage has blown up since the onset of the pandemic.
According to Fortune, between March and May 2020, OkCupid saw a 700 percent increase in users. With people only interacting online, people are more than excited to meet the people they’ve only interacted with online on dating apps.
But with life online being carefully curated to appear perfect—are we truly showing our authentic versions. Who is to say that on the other side of the screen is a catfish.
And though apps provide a virtual catalog of could-be-partners, nothing beats the chance of meeting that special someone for the first time. I might be romanticizing physical meets, seeing that dates do go horribly but experiencing someone’s company in real-time is nothing short of magical.
Some have been lucky to find meaningful partnerships online, but the Covid-19 vaccine has been a reprieve for those who haven’t. The Covid-19 vaccine has meant that Covid-19 regulations have been eased. People can, therefore, have one-one dates without the fear of Covid.
The pandemic has pushed people to adjust what they are looking for in an ideal partner. A survey released in June by the dating app Bumble discovered that 30 percent of the respondents would only go on dates with vaccinated people. Forty-one percent of those planning to venture out into physical dating said they would want to maintain social distance on their dates.
Dating apps such as Bumble adjusting their features by introducing an “I’m vaccinated” badge to their profile.
The reentry to physical dating is different for everyone. There shouldn’t be pressured to hit the ground running; dating surveys indicate that people reentering the dating field are taking it slower than expected.
An online poll done by The Pill Club, a telehealth company that provides contraceptives, found that 64 percent of respondents said that they would be more cautious about dating and casual hookups—more than the pre-pandemic period.
The pandemic has affected the way we interact with each other—it seems that humanity has forgotten how to flirt and socialize. As people adjust to a life post lockdown and quarantine, they will be anxious as they familiarize themselves with dating.
“For most people, the stress of widening a pretty tight circle of people is going to engender anxiety at this time, and the easiest way to manage that is to set boundaries that help you tread back out into the world in a confident manner,” Robin Hornstein, Ph.D.
A vital tip to keep you in check is to prepare beforehand for your dates. Imagine yourself on a date with your date; what would you say? That Amy E. Keller PsyD, a licensed marriage and family therapist says will, “quiet your-over-active spider senses and calm your sympathetic nervous system.”
Anthony Tilghman, is an 3x Award-winning Photojournalist, Education advocate, Mentor, and Published Author with years of experience in media, photography, marketing and branding. He is the Winner of the 2020, 2021 & 2023 Dateline award for Excellence in Local Journalism.