You Better Work: The Cycle of Convenience in Dating

Hi everyone, changing things up this week. Check out my guest blog post on relationship guru Aikeem Hunter's site, mydatecity" for a taste of how convenience plays a role in relationships. Enjoy!

It's Goin Down, I'm Yellin Tinder

How many times has a guy used a passive means of flirting via social media to get your attention? Whether it's a Facebook message or an Instagram like, the wave of online communication available has certainly changed the way that relationships are formed; enter Tinder. The dating (or more so, hook up) app has users upload a few photos and a short tagline with the options of either being liked (through a swipe to the right) or passed on (through a swipe to the left).

On the basis of a few selfies, users deem others in their location worthy or unworthy. When two people like each other's profile, a match is made! How romantic. They are then notified and have the opportunity to begin chatting with each other. More often than not, this will result in elementary style AIM chatting (How r u? U r hot) or an immediate and creepy invite to meet up (At an apartment...stranger danger, hello?!) or a polite but equally weird invitation to the Olive Garden to share the Tour of Italy (God, why!?). 

Is this what dating has come to? We skip the frivoloties and courting process in favor of a half-assed meet up based on convenience (location) and sex appeal? We use an app that screams "I need validation" to have others pass judgment on us based on a measly photo? Tinder is proving more and more that people are unwilling to actually do things the old fashioned way and meet people in person.

Now, I’m not saying that there aren’t a few special ones that use Tinder in hopes of actually cultivating some sort of meaningful relationship, but let’s face the facts. Tinder was designed to meet up and ultimately, hook up, and that’s the reputation the app is stuck with.

To show just how weird dating has become with social media, check out this article. Through a faux Tinder profile manned by two jokesters, a pretty face and “Let’s hang out” message from a complete stranger was enough to lure over 70 men in to a froyo shop on a Friday night for a meet up. (I think the scariest part about this story is that none found it weird that this woman wanted to meet up at a frozen yogurt shop on a Friday night, just saying).

Social media is changing the game. People now care to know zero, zip, zilch about someone before diving in to a hang out. The emphasis these sites place on looks establishes physicality as the primary factor in “pursuing” someone, but a hot body does not a romance make. In the end, social media makes it easy to feel wanted by hundreds yet perpetuates being lazily and blissfully unaware that these digital flings will likely never come to fruition.

Anyway, to all you Tinder enthusiasts out there, today is the day that singles everywhere will be abusing the “swipe to the right” option. Go ahead, feel special. Happy Valentine’s Day!

The Eternal Question: To Celebrate, or Not to Celebrate?

Whether you have a someone special or a someone that is sort of special, Valentine’s Day can put pressure on defining the relationship. Figuring out the type of gestures your personal situation merits on this celebrated day is often a stressful task, especially for those newly blossoming flings. This year, Valentine’s Day actually falls on a weekend, eliminating the option for any time restriction-based excuses to not celebrate (sorry, guys). 

The worst thing you can do is fail to acknowledge your someone (insert descriptive word here) on this day. This communicates that they are essentially a no one. Whether the rationale is fear of giving the wrong impression or embarrassment from going out on a potentially one-sided love limb, nobody deserves to be ignored on Valentine’s Day. This is a sure fire way to damage any chances for blossoming love and lose the respect of your special friend. And honestly, a simple message referencing the holiday is common courtesy.

Over the top, romantic paloozas are often reserved for couples that have firmly established their love and have set these types of exaggerated guidelines for Valentine’s Day. For the beginners, a simple card or message can be enough – it all depends on the individual’s situation. Some pairs talk about their expectations openly, others spend weeks sweating the looming day. No matter the scenario, ignoring it completely is the wrong direction to go in.

My advice, if you're at the point where celebrating is something that you want, discuss it with your partner - and fast. Be prepared to answer any “so what does this mean” questions that may come along with it. If you're at the point where the idea of spending Valentine’s Day together scares the pants off of you and you’ve been cowering in avoidance of any plan making, be sure to at least recognize the day. Doing so basically says, "Hey, I'm aware that we've been spending time together" (at its simplest).

And if you still can't find the right words to sum up your feelings (big or small), here are some casual, hilarious messages to help you out!

Ultimately, this weekend’s plans (or lack thereof) will be based on each person’s unique love, like, or “we just hang out” predicament. God speed.

Share your stories of past Valentine's Days gone awry, below!