One thing I’ve noticed among my friends and on social media over the past few weeks is that dating in these ‘quarantimes’ is taking on a whole new meaning. Without the ability to mingle with new friends at a bar, or grab a drink or dinner with someone, us single peeps have to get creative in how we make connections with people.
I thought this whole new experience of dating would make a really great blog post for our followers who may be participating in or curious about Covid Dating Culture. As the only single member of our team, I’d be the most eligible to write a blog post on the topic, but, honestly, I haven’t exactly had the time to dive into dating during the Quarantine. I’ve been a little busy doing more important things like knitting, reading my book, packing orders, etc. However, I do know someone who has been diving headfirst into the Covid Dating World and who has had great success (so far) with virtual dating.
Now, I’m excited to hand it over to my older, wiser, more experienced brother, Josh, for some tips on dating during the Quarantine.
Take it away, Josh!
Thanks for the intro Sarah. It’s been great drinking white claws with you every single night for the last 3 weeks.
I’m not sure you can describe any virtual dating experience as a “success”, but I’ve tried to make sure coronavirus doesn’t stop me from connecting with new people. For those of you who aren’t single right now, Quarantine dating basically consists of dating apps, and if you’re feeling really adventurous, zoom meetings. It’s definitely not easy, but through my experience, I’ve put together 5 tips to help you navigate Covid Dating Culture...
1. Limit the coronavirus talk
Listen, we all know how much coronavirus sucks. We’re bombarded with news and many of us feel helpless sitting at home (and for those who are out there helping- thank you, thank you!) The topic will inevitably come up with possible-future-boo-boo, but that doesn’t mean you should let it dominate your conversation.
Show people that you can be positive in a depressing world. Let it come up, ride it out, and then take initiative to change the subject. Just like we’re going to do in this list.
2. Ask people how they’re staying sane.
How do you ask that? Literally say, ““What are you doing to stay sane?” This is an easy way to transition out of coronavirus talk, should you be unable to avoid the topic a la tip #1. You can learn a lot about someone by asking what they’re doing with unlimited time and an agenda to maintain their mental health. Are they watching movies or tv? Reading books? Playing video games? Working out? Walking? Drinking? Learning something new? Making stuff? Drinking a lot? Cooking? Crafts? Knitting????
Be prepared for the question to come back to you, and try to offer up something new.
3. Share movie, tv, and book recommendations
A great way to be remembered, or remember someone, is with a great recommendation. At this point, possible-future-boo-thang is caught up on their backlog and looking for more. Start a list in your favorite notes app and keep adding. Make sure to leverage your friends for more recs - text the group threads and put them to work. They can stop sending you memes for like 10 minutes and be useful.
P.S. - Did Carole Baskins kill her husband and feed him to the tigers? Of course, she did.
4. Accept that in-person dates are a no-go
An in-person date is not a good idea right now. So what does that mean for you? Ask yourself what you want out of this apocalypse-dating experience. If you can’t meet someone in person for weeks or months, how do you build a relationship?
You may be comfortable with the idea of texting/FaceTiming for weeks before meeting. Others may consider that an extended stay in hell. Set realistic expectations for this time in your life and take care of yourself. But if now’s not a good time to step out of your comfort zone, when is?
5. Get creative with your virtual first date
Should you feel comfortable venturing to a zoom call, you’re definitely going to have to think differently about your first date. This is not a drink or coffee meet-up, and while we believe you when you say that you spit a mean game, your standard moves might not apply here. You’re both in your respective homes somewhere quiet looking at each other through a magic piece of glass. This is uncharted territory and it’s probably going to be awkward. But that’s okay!
Some of us spend our days on Zoom or WebEx meetings, and those folks may have a bit of an advantage. Video calls have delays, and those delays can make the conversation cadence pretty unnatural.
To power through this, it’s good to have something to do or talk about. Here are some virtual first date ideas:
- Virtual Tasting - buy the same 2-3 types of wine/beer/liquor and open them together on the call
- Show & Tell - cute and wholesome. Agree to come prepared with something to share. Take your ample time to be creative and entertain your possible-future-hubby. You have a camera and the functionality to share your laptop/phone screen. What’d’ya got??
- Netflix & TALK - use Netflix Party or equivalent to watch something you can talk over. Tiger King is an easy example since there’s plenty to talk about. I’d stay away from Too Hot To Handle...
- Walk & Talk - if you want to go audio-only, this is a solid option. Take a walk outside while on the phone and gab.
Alright - there you have it. I hope these tips come in handy for all you single folks out there! Maybe by the end of this, you won’t be single anymore…
