“Swipe right!”

Most of us know what Tinder is, and if you don’t, it’s a location-based app which allows two mutually interested people to connect and chat. Men and women, but specifically college students and millennials, will use Tinder to find someone to date. Or at least, that’s what the intention usually is. Many times, however, after talking to someone and deciding to meet up, things don’t really end well. The night may culminate in just a hook-up, when one person might have been looking for something more long-term. Or, the boys on Tinder will make crude comments, which can make girls uncomfortable – at best.

Fun fact: One of the co-founders of Tinder, Whitney Wolfe, left the company to start Bumble, another app mainly used for dating. The difference between the two apps, is that Bumble speaks to female empowerment because after a match, only the female can initiate conversation. This limits the explicit comments from guys and makes for an almost “classier” version of Tinder. Another bonus? Bumble has a “BFF” feature, which has the same concept of swiping, but it’s for people who are only looking to be friends. Talk about networking!

In regards to romance, there is a stigma surrounding online dating, and many females prefer to meet dating partners naturally. Using Bumble is often seen as superficial, because we get to swipe right or left based on whether or not we like what we see (or which university this handsome young gentleman attended). Everyone has something different they’re looking for, but the first thing we all notice is physical appearance. Besides not knowing much about the person you start talking to, deciding to meet a stranger in person can be dangerous. Advice? Maybe take some friends with you… And do not, do not, meet in a private place at questionable hours.

But it’s not all bad. There are undoubtedly some interesting guys on Bumble. Once you get a match with the cutie from Columbia who has a picture of himself skydiving on his profile, and you actually start a conversation, you never know what it may lead to. There are a few women who have success stories. Audrey and Scott ended up getting married and are about to have a baby this month! Even if you don’t end up marrying someone you meet through Bumble, it’s still more than possible to have engaging conversations with people you never would have met otherwise. (Swiping is certainly a great way to waste time when you should be doing your homework.)

And something else which will make Bumble really fun? Using it with your friends. You get to share laughs when you match with the same guy or get excited about one of your friends surviving a successful date. But be warned: there will be the occasional accidental encounters with people you saw on Bumble. “Wait, I’ve seen him somewhere...” *Hides face and walks in other direction.*

There are pros and cons to using dating apps, but when used casually, they can be a lot of fun. For young women in college, take a moment to appreciate the empowering idea behind Bumble. In the end, it’s your choice whether or not you want to join this trend, but here’s a few words of encouragement from some empowered NYU females:

“Bumble is a very exciting but also empowering because the girl has to message first. It’s also a self-esteem booster because you gain external validation as a female in the dating world.”
-Ishana, 18

“Even if it’s not specifically for dating, it can be hard to make friends in New York, so it’s nice to have engaging conversations – especially when you know they like you, even if it is at a superficial level.”
-Tanya, 19

*Names have been edited for privacy purposes.