Tinder taking over dating one swipe at a time

Gabrielle Wood
Nov 5 · 3 min read

The world of dating has changed drastically over the past few years. Dating in the modern world has revolved around the popular app called Tinder.

Tinder is a mobile dating app, created in 2012, that matches local users based on a mutual “swiping” method. To be matched with someone, a person would have to swipe right and if they are not interested, then they would swipe left on that profile.

Those who both swipe right on each other can then be allowed to be in contact through messages and form a possible relationship from then on. For most college students, Tinder is a common platform to get to know other people on or around campus.

McKenzie Hearnsberger, a Southeastern Louisiana University student, discussed her experience using Tinder in school.

Hearnsberger stated, “Everyone uses Tinder in college, and it looked like a fun concept, so I decided to give it a try. After some casual dating here and there, I met my boyfriend and we’ve been together since. Most kids in college really aren’t that committed to actually finding someone to settle down with at this age because they are mostly in it just for fun.”

Tinder can often be seen as a place to encourage “hook up culture,” however, the app has had successful outcomes for those looking for a serious relationship.

Michelle Howard, a past Tinder user, discussed how she met her husband through Tinder.

“I met my now husband on the app, talked for like a month or two and decided to finally meet each other at a bar in New Orleans. I was really nervous, and I thought it would be tough since we were practically strangers, but we instantly hit it off from there. We’ve been married for three years and it all started because of a cheesy pick up line on Tinder,” explained Howard.

The app itself is free but there are premium plans that one can purchase to unlock different features. The premium plans are called “Tinder Plus” and “Tinder Gold.” Tinder Plus allows unlimited likes, the feature to be able to go back to previous swipes and five super likes per day.

Tinder Gold carries everything Tinder Plus has, but also the ability to see who has liked you first.

The app has not always been the best experience for some. Miranda Leblanc, a current Tinder user, talked about the horrors of dating through Tinder.

Leblanc stated, “I went to a guy’s house that I met from Tinder, which was a big mistake. His house was disgusting, smelling like cat pee with garbage all over the place. He didn’t even look anything like his pictures that he had used, I was mortified. I still use Tinder but I’m much more cautious about who I decide to meet up with.”

Tinder advises its users to stay safe and cautious when interacting with strangers. Its website advises people to keep financial information private, protect personal details, stay safe meeting outside the app and report any suspicious activity.

With over three million users, the “typical” Tinder experience can vary for multiple people, shaping the dating world into what it is today.

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