Technology has resulted in a paradigm shift in almost all aspects of humanity, but none has been affected more than social connections.
The quintessence of this can be seen when it comes to dating.
Online dating has been there pretty much since the internet was created.
| See Also: What Are Some Indoor Hobbies? |
(This Brings Up A Pretty Important Question) Can Online Dating be a Hobby?
The short and simple answer is yes. That being said, there are a couple of nuances that you have to know and consider before you actually take up online dating as a hobby.
Why Should You Consider Online Dating?
Online dating has proven over the last couple of years to be a sort of revelation.
This is because it offers a forum for those who want to meet new people the chance to meet other people who what to meet new people, get it?
| See Also: How to Impress Guys With Your Hobbies? |
Essentially, online dating increases the probability of you finding someone that wants to be found and who is, in turn, looking for someone new.
This way, the probability of you finding someone increases tenfold when you are on an online dating app or platform.
Change Your Perspective About Online Dating
For online dating to cease to seem like a hassle and more as a hobby, you need to change your perspective a bit.
Instead of thinking of online dating, and dating in general, as something you have to do, why not look at it as an enjoyable activity that you chose to do? What’s so bad about meeting new people, sharing new experiences, and filling in all your idle hours?
Hobbies are activities in which you have fun, and there is no reason why you should not have fun while dating.
In many ways, online dating is even more fun than some of the other hobbies you can take part in.
It is by far a lot more fun talking to someone new than it is to knit or read a book in the subway.
With online dating, you will spend more time doing what you love with someone you are getting to know.
There are many online dating platforms and apps (Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, etc), and with most of them, you match with someone through swiping.
This way, as mentioned earlier, you can meet more people than you would in physical life, and your response rate increases.
You Can Become Desensitized To It
One of the cons about dating, in general, is that you get attached to someone, and later on, you find that the feeling is not mutual.
Additionally, you may invest so much time on one person only for them to cancel or not show the same sort of energy back.
All this can prove to be very detrimental to your feelings.
If you choose to take up dating online, over time, you will become desensitized to the caprices that come with dating in general.
Since you are doing it as a fun activity, you are not as emotionally invested and thus have less to lose.
Serendipity goes hand in hand with online dating.
More often than not in life, you find that you get what you want by not actively chasing it, and this is often the case when it comes to dating for fun.
How To Start Out Your Dating Journey
The first thing you have to do is to find an app or platform that caters to your needs.
The best way to go about this is through testimonials and referrals from people that have used the said platforms.
Different online dating platforms offer different things.
As such, it is advisable to find two or three platforms that meet your needs, sign up, and then go from there.
You Need To Take Some Great Selfies
The first thing a prospective partner will look at, even in the real world, is your physical appearance.
That is why everyone should step put looking the best version of themselves.
With online dating, you have to make sure that you use the best photos of yourself.
This isn’t to say that you use photos from five years ago. Nope. You have to strike the equilibrium of showing your best self and showing your real, present self.
Be Open Minded About The Experience
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when taking up online dating is to be narrow-minded.
Having too many requirements that have to be meet will narrow your pool of prospective partners by a lot. Moreover, you never know what you are missing.
Most of the time, we set standards concerning our comfort zone.
Humans, emotionally at least, are pretty immobile people, and we want what we are familiar with.
Have a little spirit of adventure; go out and try new things, get to know new people.
The beauty of life is in diversity, so don’t limit yourself.
Should You Go On Ten Dates A Week?
Meredith Golden, who is New York’s Dating app ghostwriter, advises that you should go on at least ten dates a week when it comes to online dating.
This may seem like a lot, and maybe it is, but what’s the problem with that?
If you love something and have fun doing it, with is the very definition of a hobby, why not do it often?
Of course, there is the issue of money. The more dates you go on, the more you spend.
There is a pretty easy way of circumnavigating this.
In your city, as is the case of almost every city, many places offer great food and ambiance for ridiculously small fees. All you need to do is a bit of digging.
Moreover, if you patronize a place, the more likely it is that they will give you discounts in the form of discount coupons or even cash discounts for regulars.
Even in bars, if a bartender knows you, the faster your drink will be prepared, and the more likely you will spend less on tips without offending the said bartender, as they know you will be there the next day or the day after.
Buyer Beware
When taking up online dating as a hobby, you have to be very careful about the logistics of it all; where you go on dates, how you get home, et cetera.
This is essential concerning your own safety.
It has been said that there are creeps on the internet.
Of course, online dating sites try and make sure that they verify their users’ credentials, but there is only so much you can do.
The onus is really on you to make sure that you are safe.
The easiest way to do this is to join exclusive dating apps and platforms.
The more exclusive a platform is, the safer it is, as fewer people are on it, and those that are have been gone through a very rigorous process of verification.
Final Thoughts
Online dating, when broken down, is pretty fun and easy.
You meet someone, go out for a couple of drinks or food, meet interesting people; if it works out, you get yourself a partner.
If it doesn’t, you find some very interesting story ideas.
Essentially, no date can be labeled as catastrophic, as, one way or another, you walk out with something.
| Additional Indoor Hobbies | |
|---|---|
| Beer Tasting | Butchering |
| Cheesemaking | Confectionery |
| Daydreaming | Selling Clothes |
| Drinking | Eating |
| Fermenting | Hairstyle |
| How to Become a Sommelier | Investing |
| Online Dating | Web Surfing |
| Reiki | Smoking |
| Skincare | Sleeping |
| Thrifting | Vaping |
| Wine |