The sad truth of it is, in today’s times the best way to meet a partner is through the internet. After moving to college, I decided it was time to get myself out there and I made a Tinder and in the 2 months that I had one I had some amazing experiences and some really bad ones. During my time of using Tinder I realized there are some things to keep in mind when you create one so, here’s a list of things you need to remember when using Tinder!
AKA, SEX. Tinder has this bad rap that everyone on there is looking for casual sex or hook-ups when that isn’t always the case. Sometimes, the guys and girls on there are looking for potential partners or even just plain friendships. In my personal experience with the app, I’ve met guys who want relationships and it doesn’t work out, but a great friendship comes out of it. I’ve also encountered the complete opposite where they were just looking for a friendship and a romance sparked. You control how you use your Tinder and while it is mostly used for casual flings, it’s all about what you want and what YOU choose to do.
By that, I mean you must choose your pictures and bio to present yourself in the way you want to be viewed. If you’re just looking for a friend, maybe choose pictures where you’re with a couple of friends or maybe a few funny pictures that aren’t necessarily ‘cute’, but show your personality. If you’re looking for strictly hook-ups, it’s not a bad idea to slide a bikini picture in there. Maybe you want a real relationship, and that can always be something you mention in your bio so that you mostly match with people looking for that as well and you can weed out all of the ones who aren’t trying to get serious. Your pictures can say a lot about the kind of person you are, so make sure to tailor them to what you’re looking for out of someone. Tinder only allows you to put up 6 pictures of yourself, so choose wisely.
OK, so say you’re talking to this guy or girl, they are super cute, but things start to get weird and they are being pushy or rude. That’s fine because all you have to do is go to the drop-down menu and click “unmatch” and that’s it, they will be gone just like that! They can’t look you up and they won’t show up in your swipe pile ever again. Not every person you think is cute and that you match with is going to have the best personality, so don’t be stress over shutting someone down.
They give you this option to link your Instagram account to your Tinder. After having that on there for a few days, I quickly realized it was a mistake. Tinder is based on the platform of only having to talk to people YOU find attractive. If you don’t swipe right on someone they can’t message you which helps a great deal with unwanted people in your inbox. However, if you link your Instagram, they can find you and DM you, which completely defeats the purpose of Tinder. While you might want those cute boys or girls to see more than 6 photos of you, it’s better to get to know them first. Then give them your Instagram handle.
I’m not sure why going into this adventure I thought there wouldn’t be catfish on Tinder, but there is and it’s fairly easy to tell. Keep your eyes peeled for them and use your best judgment to swipe right or left. Sometimes for fun, I’d match with them and confront them about it……. Trust me they unmatched really quick once they read the message.
Since it is so easy to swipe left or right I used to find myself swiping on people at 2 in the morning. TAKE A BREAK! It becomes addicting looking at all the attractive men and women and seeing if they liked you back. And getting matches with someone you were super attracted too is exhilarating. Don’t let the addiction get in the way of spending time with your friends and enjoying some time away from it.
Like I said, matching with someone can really boost your self-esteem. Maybe you could’ve never imagined someone like that to find you attractive, but sometimes it’s depressing not matching with someone you swiped right on. Tinder is supposed to be fun and DOES NOT define how attractive you are. Not everyone you like is going to like you back and that’s just life.
Everyone tends to put their best picture in the front. Avoid wasting a like on a guy or girl who may not be as attractive in their last picture. You can easily avoid the confusion all together and inspect each and every one of those six pictures. He may go from a Calvin Klein model to that weird kid in your science class within his first picture to his last.
Not only are there cute HUMANS on Tinder, but also a bunch of cute animal accounts. Yes, animal accounts. People have made accounts for their pets. People have actually taken the time to make fun accounts for their adorable animals which is a sign of a sense of humor. It also gives you a break from the seriousness of the app. Give them a chance, who knows, maybe you’ll be able to meet their dog someday!
When done correctly, using Tinder can be really fun. There are going to be weird people on there that aren’t what you expected. You just need to watch out for them. If you decide to meet up with anyone you’ve met while using Tinder, do it in a public place. Also, make sure to let a friend know where you’re going to be!
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