How do dating apps fit into the life of an overwhelmed PhD student?

Surprisingly well — until they didn’t. In the spring of 2018, while drowning in dissertation deadlines, I found myself unexpectedly drawn into the world of online dating — initially as a distraction but eventually as a deeper exploration of how patriarchy has infiltrated and manipulated modern romance, all under the guise of “sexual freedom for women.” This is the debut story of questioning dating in the 2020s, love, modern romance, fe/male friendships, and marriage.

Photo by Flure Bunny on Unsplash

From PhD Procrastination to a Swipe-Right Revelation: My First Encounter With Online Dating Apps

It was a typical spring day in 2018, and I was on my lunch break with some colleagues. After a quick round of doctoral research updates, one of them started talking about her first date from the night before. Then, she mentioned another first date… and another one. Naively, I asked how she managed to meet all these guys in Berlin. My mind was stuck in the bar-and-club scene…