If I'm being honest, I love Tinder.
Tinder gets a pretty bad reputation amongst the older generations and a pretty raunchy one amongst the younger one. The truth is - Tinder is hilariously fun.
For those of you who use Tinder as it was intended (creating a genuine profile, swiping right on those you feel you'd be compatible with, and going on dates), that's awesome. If you feel that dating apps will work for you, go for it! Tinder is an easy way to set up dates when you're itching to meet someone new or go out for the night. However, if you're like me and have Tinder as somewhat of a joke, it can be fricking awesome.
I will confess, I have had Tinder for a while and have been an active user. Not active as in going on dates or meeting up with my matches, but active as in swiping often and replying to messages occasionally.
People on Tinder can be hilarious. The profile pictures are goofy as well as the short bios that are written. The pick-up lines some guys come up with are honestly so impressive. I find myself downloading, deleting, and re-downloading the app often out of boredom. You have to admit... sometimes it's just fun to be complimented and flirted with. Isn't that what the app is calling for anyways?
It's an app that suggests looks are the first indication of romantic connection. This realization is important because it allows you to not take everything too seriously and find the humor in the situation. It's just an incredibly funny app.
The platform itself is great - because it's online, you're free to be completely yourself because... who cares? On the flip side, it's also very easy for people to lie about who they are online. This happens to be the reason I'm skeptical and refuse to meet up with Tinder matches, however, there are ways to confirm such as trading Snapchat names and Instagram handles.
Also, making sure your intentions are clear while on the app is important because it's not cool to mess with someone who is genuinely trying to find a connection on the app. If you're looking to have fun on the app, whatever that means to you, just be clear about your intentions so that you don't offend or upset anyone.
With all that being said, Tinder can be a great source of entertainment and maybe even an effective way of sparking relationships for some. With all online forms of communication, you have to use your discretion on what you post and practice online safety.
Tinder is a great app that is also versatile. It can be used to spark romantic relationships (or a fun one-time-thing or even a friendship!) and/or be used as a self-esteem booster. Whatever your intentions on the app are, it's just plain fun. So, yes, I shamelessly love Tinder. And chances are you probably do, too.