About nine months ago, I downloaded Tinder for probably the fifth time. Before May, I never spoke to anyone on the app. I simply swiped left or right and the interactions did not advance any farther than that. I ignored the desperate pick-up lines and any attempt to strike up a conversation. But, my boredom and curiosity was sparked once again.
Just a month before this I was gallivanting the electrifying streets of Europe. I needed something exciting to fill the void stepping on American soil left me with -- a distraction.
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Unlike most girls my age, I never had a serious boyfriend or anything close to one. This has always been something I have wanted so badly. At 21 years old, I never went on a date. So I thought, why not? Would there be anything wrong with starting a conversation with someone I found attractive? I didn't think so.
After downing several glasses of Barefoot, I chose a recently matched contender and built up the courage to send a somewhat intriguing message. There was not an instant response. In any online dating scenario, I would say this is a pretty big let down.
The next morning I woke up to an alert on my phone. A reply from the green-eyed Tinder boy to my drunken five words. In retrospect, I should have done better. I should have been more creative. I knew I had to make a good first impression or the unmatch button could be in my future.
I have heard very few Tinder success stories, so I never pictured anything long-term... at least at first. I mean, I guess since I know several people who met their girlfriend or boyfriend though the app, I could have easily gotten my hopes up. Maybe I would actually get something out of this, I thought.
We carried on a polite conversation, asking one another the inevitable get-to-know-someone-questions. I consider myself to be a good judge of character. I know right away whether or not I like a person, whether or not I have a crush on someone.
I knew he was worth keeping around. This boy is friendly, funny, and seemed to be interested in getting to know me. He is well-spoken and has exceptional grammar, which is always a huge bonus. Someone who knows the difference between "your" and "you're" is definitely a keeper. I knew instantly that he could be someone special in my life if he wanted to be.
I spent the better part of my summer embarrassingly smiling at messages, talking on the phone with a boy I never met before and was strangely comfortable with all of it. We discovered that we have a fair amount in common and just enjoyed talking to one another. Meeting in person was bound to happen -- and it did.
I am all about the rom-com characters finding their way back to each other, a reuniting kiss in the rain, or two people walking off into a captivating sunset. A perfectly cliché happy ending. I want a happy ending. So, I really wish that is what I had to share right now.
Yes, maybe everything is not exactly the way I want it to be or exactly how I planned, but remember when I said I thought I found someone special? Well, I was right. Because of this I feel lucky.
I never thought I would say I learned so much from a dating app that has a hookup reputation attached to it. There is a reason that this happened to me. The experiences I shared with this person are nothing but memorable in the best way. For one reason or another, we needed each other.
We may not necessarily be the perfect match, but I think we are the perfect Tinder match -- for whatever that is worth.
