Ah, Tinder. The most notorious college hook up site out there. When I asked my friend if I could make a Tinder account for her, the immediate reaction was, “No way! I’m not going on there! So embarrassing.” Tinder has a negative connotation, yet so many college students are on it. I started wondering: is Tinder really for just hooking up? I decided to conduct an experiment to see how changing different aspects of the Tinder profile would affect dating vs. hook up inquiries. Here are my findings:
Your Bio
I discovered that when you directly state what you want, that’s what you get. If I put “no hook ups,” I end up getting asked out by guys. We would talk for a little and then they would take me out on dates. All of them, I have to say, were very nice!
On the flip side, if you don’t put anything related to your intentions, you will get a mix of guys just asking for a fling and wanting to take you out.
And I have to say, ladies, if you’re looking for genuinely nice guys or a relationship, try just putting out there that you’re only into dating. That way, when they see your bio, they will know what you’re all about. There is definitely relationship potential on Tinder.
You Photos
Try posting images that show who you are. This way, guys will have ways to spark a conversation. If you put up a photo of you and your dog, for example, then that tends to lead to common interest conversations. This way, you get to actually see if you enjoy talking to the person you matched with. It lets you know that they are into you and what you’re passionate about. It also saves you from cheesy pick-up lines.
Your photos also say a lot about you. So make sure you post pictures that represent you in the best possible way. If it seems like it may be too risqué, think to yourself whether or not you’d be okay with strangers looking at that photo of you as a first impression. You can stay modest and still get matches, ladies.
Your Conversation
This builds off of the photos section mentioned previously.
It’s hard to keep the flame (get it? Tinder’s logo?) burning if you have a dull conversation. If the guy is actually into you and wants to take you out, he will really try to make an effort to get to know you. As opposed to hook-ups, most of the conversation is pretty straightforward and brief as to what you both want and expect… if you get what I’m saying. Basically, let guys get to know you. They will ask questions and you can ask some back. See if there’s a natural flow to the conversation and if you want to actually go out with this person. Typically, the guys who want to pursue you romantically will try and create interesting discourse.
Whether you want a hook-up or a boyfriend, Tinder can definitely be used for both. I went on some genuinely great dates (and may or may not have gone out a few times with one guy…). Hopefully, this experiment will help you to creating the perfect profile for what you personally want.
May the right swipes be ever in your favor.