I'm potentially the worst person to offer any advice on this topic. It would be extremely problematic to have any form of dependency on dating apps. Behind the anonymity of their phone screens, users often behave differently to how they would in person, and it should never be assumed that everyone has your best interests at heart.
If you treat dating apps as a chance to have fun and explore different places, you can then enjoy any emotional attachment which may or may not follow. Dating apps can be an effective way of breaking out of the university bubble. It can be refreshing to have conversations with people who have varied and interesting jobs, while avoiding the inevitable awkwardness of bumping into matches in the library. However, there are times when coming into contact with the other side can give you an unwanted reality check.
Of course you do come across people who only have one thing in mind, and sarcasm can apparently get lost in the post. You should be picky about the people you share intimate moments with. There are many issues with this statement: what is healthy for one person can be very different for another. If having casual sex or using dating apps is not for you, that is absolutely fine, but do not judge others for doing so. Of course you should only interact with people when you feel comfortable, and should exercise your right to ignore, block or report matches who act inappropriately.
But is this really achievable for most students? University is a strange and transitionary time, often characterised by stress and uncertainty. Whether single or in a relationship, most students are still at the beginning stages of testing their limits and exploring their sexual identity.
Are you a serial swiper? Or are you lost in the era of the modern dating app? Either way - let us know! The Croft. Film and TV.
