Dating is kind of crazy nowadays. It’s never been easier to meet people thanks to the internet, yet you may feel like dating in 2022 is a complete pain in the—well, you know.
If this is you, don’t worry! You’re not alone if you’ve sometimes felt like the dating scene isn’t even worth the trouble.
No matter how you feel about dating in 2022, however, it never hurts to have a good sense of all your options as well as helpful tips and tricks.
So, this article will cover dating in 2022, including your best dating options, the best dating sites, the best dating strategies, and other top dating tips for our modern era.
If this sounds good to you, keep on scrolling!
What’s It Like to Date in 2022?
Maybe you haven’t been on the dating scene for a bit. Or maybe you’ve been at it for years and you’re just plain fed up.
Either way, it can be helpful to take a moment to assess the dating scene in 2022.
The main factor driving dating in 2022 is the continued success of online dating (sometimes referred to as OLD).
While people of course still meet in person all the time—especially with the recovery from Covid—you can meet millions of people online and it may be easier to get matched up in terms of your compatibility.
So, overall, this article will have less to say about traditional forms of dating as opposed to online ones. That said, dating is very much the same once you’ve bypassed the first in-person meeting phase.
What Are Your Best Dating Options in 2022?
In terms of online dating, there are dozens of options. Ultimately, it comes down to a variety of factors: your age, your location, and what it is that you’re looking for.
Certain sites, such as Tinder and AdultFriendFinder, are more hookup-oriented, i.e. populated mainly by people who don’t necessarily care about establishing a longer-term relationship and are instead interested in casual relationships. You can see a full list of casual dating sites here.
There are even sites like Ashley Madison and AdultFriendFinder that focus more on older adults who may be looking to experiment with their current relationship or have an affair.
Online dating has gone fully mainstream, however, so there are other options that may cater more toward a crowd that would like to find a more serious relationship. These options include apps like Bumble and Hinge, among many more.
What Are the Best Dating Sites?
So, let’s take a quick look at a few of your best options when it comes to dating sites/apps.
- Tinder – Tinder is quite possibly the biggest dating app ever. It’s almost synonymous with online dating, although there are a lot of competitors. It has its “hook-up culture” reputation, but it’s become so mainstream that you’ll find all kinds of people looking for all kinds of relationships.
- Bumble – Bumble is an app designed to be more woman-friendly. It’s a pretty cool concept in that the women on the app are the ones who make the first “move” (i.e. the first message). If you’re a woman who’s tired of being harassed online, Bumble may be a nice option for you.
- Hinge – Hinge was conceived as a kind of “anti-Tinder,” or an app “designed to be deleted.” In other words, they’re confident that you can find a meaningful, long-lasting relationship, one which will have you deleting the app.
- Seeking – Seeking has been growing a lot in popularity and is slowly but surely trying to become a more mainstream dating site. Its origins, however, lie in the “sugar” scene, i.e. sugar daddies looking for sugar babies and vice versa. It still has plenty of this going on, but also regular relationships. It’s probably your best bet for sugar relationships but maybe not for other kinds.
- Ashley Madison/Adult Friend Finder – These two are grouped together because they share some similarities. They’re both upfront about not necessarily being super ethical. After all, Ashley Madison’s motto is “Life is short, have an affair.” So, if you’re looking for an affair or a casual relationship, especially of the kinky variety, these two are worth a shot.
What Are the Best Dating Strategies?
So, you’ve picked an online dating app, or you’ve started talking with that cute person at the coffee shop. Now what?
Know What You Want
First, you need to be real with yourself and reflect seriously about what you’re looking for.
If you want a meaningful, long-term relationship, then don’t settle for less than that. Listen to your inner needs and desires and pursue them until you find that person that fits you best.
Be Yourself
If you’re not yourself, you’re bound to end up unhappy. Why’s that?
When you pretend to be someone else or modify who you are for the benefit of someone else, you’ll end up hurting yourself in the long run. It’s unsustainable to not be yourself.
Even if you are mostly happy, over the long term you’ll experience bitterness, resentment, and regret. These can build up over time and completely break you and your relationship.
Don’t Be Afraid to (Politely) Cut and Run
Life is short—no, this isn’t an Ashley Madison motto—and you shouldn’t be afraid to keep testing the waters.
It can be really hard sometimes trying to decide if you want to keep going with the person you’re with or cut and run. In general, you should follow your gut instinct.
There are millions of people that you can match up with via online dating, so don’t be afraid to put yourself back out there again. Just make sure that you’re not an a-hole who ghosts people. Instead, be honest and polite when you want to move on.
Top Dating Tips
Here are some other useful dating tips!
Don’t Skimp on Your Profile
You should think of your online dating profile kind of like a billboard—everyone who passes by will see you and should quickly have a basic idea of what you’re about. So, be transparent about who you are and your interests to attract matches that will be right for you.
Beware Scammers
Unfortunately, the internet is chock full of scammers and bad actors. While dating sites—at least some of them—are getting better at keeping the bots and scammers at bay, it’s always a good idea to be careful. The last thing you want is to get catfished.
Patience Is Key
Hundreds of millions of people are on online dating sites and apps. There’s definitely someone out there who you can vibe with. It may take some time and patience, though. If you let yourself get super frustrated each time it doesn’t work out, you’re likely to burn out entirely. Try to keep your head up and just keep going.
Always Prioritize Safety
It’s super important to stay safe. In the digital age, this means online as well as in-person. It’s also important to be careful about how you transition from online interactions to in-person meetings.
The first time you meet someone, make sure it’s in a well-lit, public place with other people around. Cafes and restaurants are generally good for this.
You can also let a couple of friends or family members know where you’re going to be and that you’ll let them know how it went. This way, if they don’t hear from you, they’ll know your last known location.
Wrapping Up
So, is dating in 2022 worth it? It sure may not feel like it sometimes, but there’s definitely someone out there for you.
Although it comes with plenty of negatives, the internet does offer us a greater chance of meeting a soulmate than ever before. You don’t have to rely entirely on chance now, like going to the same college or being born at the same time and place.
Although it may not be a perfectly smooth experience, both traditional and online dating are matching up tons of people every day, many of whom end up having great short-term or long-term relationships. If you stay patient and keep at it, this could very well be you too.
