Tuesday, May 12, 2020

This Is How Long Sex Should Last (From a Woman’s Point of View)

A lot of people conflate longer sex with better sex, but that’s not always the case. By Sophia Benoit April 18, 2019

You came here looking for an answer, and an answer I will give you: Sex should last one hour, 34 minutes, and 22 seconds—the exact runtime of Wayne's World.

Shyeah, right! While I have a lot of respect (and follow-up questions) for anyone who’s regularly managing to bone for the duration of a feature film, of course I’m joking. There isn’t a specific length of time that sex should last, but people tend to conflate longer sex with better sex. Marathon sex sessions are used as a measurement of just how steamy an evening was. And while quickies can be fun, they should constitute a piece of a balanced sex life—not the whole thing. They’re like the candy and ice cream part of the food pyramid—very tasty, just not intended for everyday sustenance.

While there's no magic number, one study back in 2005 in the Journal of Sexual Medicine asked a bunch of sex therapists for their opinions on how long sex should last. Their guidelines separated sex into four categories: adequate, too short, too long, and desirable. They rated penetrative vaginal sex that lasted from 1-2 minutes as “too short,” and sex that lasted 10-30 minutes as “too long.” Meanwhile, “adequate” sex lasted 3-7 minutes and desirable sex lasted 7-13 minutes.

It’s difficult to get good data on the amount of time the average person spends getting freaky—are you keeping track of how long you’re humping and pumping?—especially because sex can be defined in a myriad of ways. For example, some people (and most studies) are only counting penetrative sex, which isn’t a particularly effective way to measure sex, since it’s both extremely heteronormative and not the way most people with vaginas are orgasming.

So I asked a handful of women and nonbinary people how long they’d ideally like sex to last, and with a few exceptions, the answers settled around five to ten minutes of intercourse, and longer for foreplay.

One woman said her ideal was 10-15 minutes of foreplay and 10 minutes of intercourse: “I find I get rather impatient in bed, or perhaps I just haven’t met someone worth taking more time.” Another said, “I feel like this sounds short, but honestly 5-10 mins plus like 15-ish minutes of foreplay.” Another woman said, “I generally like sex to last 15-20 minutes, with intercourse being like maybe a quarter of that.” Two women and one nonbinary woman answered that their ideal sex session including foreplay would last an hour or so—which seems like an endeavor! Good for them!

It turns out people consistently say that they want sex to last longer than it does. Almost everyone I informally interviewed felt that their answers were shorter than average, when in reality almost all of them were either in line with or above the average duration of sex, which is around 5.4 minutes.

So while we’re all self-conscious that we’re shortchanging our down-and-dirty time, sex really doesn’t take that long—even for people who are completely happy with their sex lives. I don’t mean to suggest that shorter sex is better, by any means. But according to a Twitter poll asking, “Do you ever get bored during penetrative sex or want it to just be over already?” Eighty-two percent of the 819 participants said yes. The reason I knew to ask that (possibly leading) question is that I, too, have been bored during penetrative sex, just up there thinking about the fact that I need to check on the status of my car registration or how Joan Cusack hasn’t had a single leading film role (which is a damn shame).

According to another Twitter poll I conducted of 2,380 people who are on the receiving end of penetrative sex, most (61 percent) wanted the actual penetration to last about 5-10 minutes (without counting foreplay). Twenty-six percent said they wanted it to last longer than 11 minutes. For the most part, those who are penetrated don’t think that longer penetration is better, so you can stop thinking about your grandma playing baseball, or whatever it is you’ve been doing to try to avoid coming too soon.

So according to the data, rather than attempting a marathon jackhammer session, you should switch things up! In that study, the more sex acts that a couple did, the more likely both of them were to orgasm, and the benefit of multiple sexual acts was even more significant for women than for men. The lesson here is you don’t need to be having sex longer; you need to be having sex better.

Source: https://www.gq.com/story/how-long-should-sex-last-self


Tuesday, May 5, 2020

16 Best Dating Apps For Finding Love + Tips on Forging Real Connections With Strangers


It may seem like the days of couples meeting by picking up the same grapefruit at the supermarket or by striking up a conversation at the library are long gone, but (though rare) it happens and those love stories still exist. Of course, if you’re actively trying to date, fall in love, and/or get hitched, those love stories may feel a little bit harder to come by.
After all, nowadays, the dating world has shifted almost entirely online.
“Virtual dating will add another normalized option of finding a partner. A lot of time, people are limited to who they meet because of where they live,” explains Maria Sullivan, Dating Expert & VP of Dating.com. “With virtual dating, you can connect with people all over the country and really see who is out there, making finding your other half a little easier. Once the COVID-19 outbreak dies down, people will be able to go out again and mingle, but a lot will still keep virtual dating in their back pocket, just to keep all options open.”
Dating apps and dating sites are the new norm, with 48 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds, 38 percent of 30 to 49-year-olds, and 16 percent of people 50 and older using a dating site or app, says Pew ResearchNumbers amongst the LGBTQ+ community are even higher, with 55 percent of lesbian, gay, or bisexual adults using apps; LGBTQ couples also report higher percentages of committed relationships or marriages found through online dating apps and sites.
“I love dating apps! (said no one ever). They are the future and it makes it so much easier for people to connect where they might not have easily crossed paths,” Andrea Loredo Bachalis, founder of the style blog PrettyProperQuaint. “Or even if they did and somehow didn’t notice each other. Peter and I noticed that we worked right near each other, also I went to school near where he lived, all around the same time and we never crossed paths!”

Related: 250 Conversation Starters for Any Social Situation
Even a First Date

Let’s be honest, you could touch every grapefruit in Whole Foods hoping another hand coincides with yours, but the chances of finding your future hubby or wife are eh, slim. Nowadays, you either swipe right to find your cutie, star in Love Is Blind, or get Married at First Sight on Lifetime…
“One main advantage is that with online dating, you are able to connect with a vast amount of eligible singles to see who you really connect with and want to get to know more,” Maria Sullivan tells Parade. “Additionally, when it comes to online dating, you aren’t limited to meeting people in your area. You can meet people near and far and hopefully get a better idea of what you are looking for in a partner.”
So, if you’re not sure where to start, maybe try diving into the dating app and dating site world before auditioning for a reality TV series. You with us? Great! Keep reading for the 16 best dating apps for all ages, experiences, races, sexual orientations, and more, plus success stories straight from the online couples themselves!

16 best online dating apps to find love

Best free dating apps

Love shouldn’t cost a thing, right? If you’re new to online dating, make sure to try out free dating sites and free dating apps first before committing to a paid membership. Free dating sites are the best way to get your toes in the water without your new dating habits affecting your bank account!

1. Tinder
Tinder was one of the first location-based apps to popularize the swipe right or swipe left mechanism in online dating. Essentially, you swipe right if you like the person’s pictures and profile or swipe left if you’re not interested. If you both swipe right on each other, you’re matched! (And don’t worry—the other person only knows how you swiped if you both swipe right and match.)
If you match, Tinder enables you to in-app message each other. The app is totally free, but it also offers premium memberships. Nowadays, Tinder has garnered a bit of a reputation for being solely a hook-up app, but it certainly didn’t start that way. In fact, when Andrea Loredo Bachalis, 29, and Peter Bachalis, 33, matched on Tinder in 2017, they knew their connection was something special. Now, they’re married!
“I knew something was special on the day of our first date,” Andrea tells Parade. “I’ve been on my fair share of dates, so I started to have little cues to look for and he was passing all my secret tests. Additionally, I could tell how genuine and sweet of a soul Peter had. I could tell from his Big Brothers, Big Sisters volunteering, his musical family, and how he spoke about people close to him. Our initial date lasted for hours and we basically had three dates in one night, so we could tell that we were extremely comfortable with one another from the onset.”

Related: 250 Deep Questions to Ask Someone You Want to Get to Know Better


While the rep Tinder has is certainly one of its cons, Andrea believes its easy structure to be one of its pros.
“I actually did not love Tinder, but it was easy to join and easy to use,” she explains. “No long questionnaires to fill out… Maybe I’m a bit lazy! I was on Tinder and Bumble at the same time and had a specific strategy for each app. That’s a different story for another time!”
After sustaining an injury and becoming someone who uses a wheelchair, Alivia Breann, 27, initially felt intimidated by dating apps, but with the encouragement of her friends, has now used Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge—three of the most popular dating apps amongst the millennial generation.
“Entering the dating world was super intimidating for me. I had no experience with dating apps and had no idea how to navigate conversations about my injury/chair with strangers that I would potentially be dating,” Alivia tells Parade. “After years of my friends trying to convince me to try them out, I finally did, and my experiences with them have been way better than I expected.”
Weighing both the pros and cons of Tinder, Alivia says she likes that Tinder allows more pictures than others.
“You can have up to nine photos—the other Bumble and Hinge are up to six photos—and it has the most people on it,” Alivia tells Parade. “But it sort of has a reputation of being the app you go on to find something physical more than a relationship.”
Price: It’s free, but Tinder also offers premium memberships starting at $9.99/mo.

2. Bumble
The location-based Bumble app follows a similar swiping format as Tinder, only once potential couples are matched, the power to reach out via message is solely in the woman’s hands. (Of course, only if the settings are on for heterosexual matches; for same-sex matches, either user can send a message once matched.)
Parade spoke with Priti Joshi, Vice President of Strategy at Bumble about the initial goal of Bumble and how it has evolved.
“When Whitney Wolfe Herd founded Bumble in 2014, it was with equality in mind,” Priti tells Parade. “Her aim was to flip the outdated gender dynamics of dating by giving women the power to make the first move. As Bumble has grown, so has its mission: to help people of all genders and orientations make empowered connections in all areas of their lives, whether that means seeking romantic relationships through Bumble Date, making new friends through Bumble BFF, or building a professional network through Bumble Bizz. We are the first app of our kind to bring professional networking, friend-finding, and dating to one platform.”
The swiping app popular with millennials has come along way, as it now features the option to video call within the app, verify identities by photo (as to reduce ‘ and discourage catfishing), and voice call in the app as well. Oh, and if you’re worried about foul play on the app, Bumble is working every day to improve safety for its users.
“Last year, we launched our ‘Private Detector‘ feature, which automatically detects and blurs inappropriate images on the app,” Priti explains. “In 2019, the state of Texas—and our home state—took it one step further and officially made it a crime to send an unwanted lewd photo with HB 2789, making it a Class C misdemeanor. We want to encourage the millions of people on our app to make meaningful connections in love, life, and work through promoting kindness, respect, and empowerment.”
Bumble also has a few unique features to help you get stared. According to Priti, Bumble’s ‘Conversation Starters,’ are, “pre-written first moves that our team curated to jumpstart a conversation if you’re at a roadblock.”
“One of my favorite lines is ‘Hey! What’s your favorite thing to do after work?'” Priti says. “The other person’s answer will most likely give you great insight into their personality and what’s important to them.
Now for a real-life Bumble success story, Dee Hall and Dr. Matthew Hall. Even before Dee, 40, met her husband Matthew, 55, on Bumble, she knew she preferred the app to others.
“I liked that the men on Bumble seemed more serious and not just like they were looking for a hookup,” Dee tells Parade. “In my experience, the men on Bumble tended to be older, working professionals, which was a better fit for what I was looking for.”
Dee adds, “I don’t think I ever actually went on a single date with a dude from Tinder.”
But what she loves most about Bumble, of course, is that’s how she met her partner.
“I think we both had profiles that really allowed our quirky natures to shine through,” Dee says. “It was important to me that I found a partner who could read between the lines of my profile about my ideological views and Matt did a great job of that… Not long after our first date, Matt asked me to accompany him on a trip. We traveled well together and since it’s something we both love, that would prove to be very important. A couple of years later, we bought a house in Costa Rica together.”
Alivia’s pro for Bumble is the setting for heterosexual couples that made Bumble popular amongst so many women. “Once you match with someone, the woman has to message first and you only have 24 hours before the messaging capability disappears, which gives you an incentive to actually do it.”
But with Bumble, its pros might also be its cons for some. “If you are busy and forget to message someone you matched with, they’re gone forever after the 24 hours.”
Priti adds that, to date, Bumble has facilitated over a billion first moves. With more than 100 million users in 150+ countries, Bumble helps make 25 million matches per week. You can read more about Bumble’s matches on The Buzz.
Price: Free!

3. Hinge
Hinge’s tagline is “designed to be deleted,” meaning that the app feels its job is to create such strong connections between couples that they won’t need the app anymore. That’s pretty promising, isn’t it?! Hinge has been around since 2012 and unlike other free dating apps popular amongst millenials, Hinge does not used a “swipe” strategy.
Rhett Terrell, 29, and Hannah Gross, 27, met on Hinge in 2018 and because of the app’s unique structure, immediately connected over a common interest in sports and food.
“My profile said something like, ‘Waffles over pancakes, Lakers/Dodgers for life,’ so Rhett’s first message was pretty funny. I thought we both bounced off each other pretty well and he could keep up with the wit,” Hannah says. “It was fun chatting with him.”





hinge rhett and hannah
(hinge rhett and hannah)
After a few weeks of chatting, Rhett and Hannah quickly realized they had a strong connection.
“I always found that if someone would text you for a significant period of time, they were there to actually connect and not just hook up once, which also is fine but wasn’t what I was looking for at the time,” Hannah tells Parade. “I got a job offer moving me [from New York] to Los Angeles around our third date, but chickened out on telling him until our fourth date.”
Hannah adds, “The fact that we both still wanted to see each other knowing I would be leaving a couple months later was a pretty big step I think, since we could have just cut our losses right then. We did long distance for a year and a half, and then Rhett moved. I think we both knew pretty early on that it was special and really easy to be with each other, so we just kept making choices to figure out how to be with each other the most we could.”
Alivia notes the pro of Hinge to be the more in-depth profiles. “They have a lot of prompts for your profile to answer, which makes it easier to start a conversation with someone.”
But the cons? “It feels like there is the least amount of people on Hinge, compared to Tinder and Bumble.”
Price: Free!

4. Plenty of Fish
If subscribing and paying for a list of singles is not your MO, but you still are serious about meeting new people and testing out the waters (pun intended!), Plenty of Fish is an often underrated option. To start off, each usertakes a POF Relationship Chemistry Predictor test. With questions that measure interests, important values, and personality traits, POF uses the Chemistry Predictor Test to suss out compatibility.
If you’re new to online/app dating, POF might be a good starting point, especially because there is no swiping involved. We’re not taking a dig at swiping; it’s just that everyone is different and if you’re new to the game, swiping can get exhausting and intimidating quickly.
Price: Free!

5. Coffee Meets Bagel
Need a little more structure? Swiping into the wee hours of the AM can feel exhausting. It can also make you feel overwhelmed with potentials. Coffee Meets Bagel curates potential dates for you. Every day at noon, your free Coffee Meets Bagel app will send you potential matches thanks to its algorithm. While messaging in the app, Coffee Meets Bagel also provides prompts based on each other’s profiles. These personalized icebreakers are designed to spark deeper, more meaningful conversations than the questions a user might come up with on their own. A great choice for people who maybe need help carrying a conversation or with knowing what to say, Coffee Meets Bagel is perhaps one of the more hands-off dating apps. After all, it does most of the work for you.
Katie Sperling, 29, and her husband Lee Steele, 30, met on Coffee Meets Bagel a few years ago.
“I didn’t like the design; it just didn’t look as nice as Bumble does, for example, except I liked that it seemed that people were more serious about finding a relationship compared to Tinder or Bumble,” Katie tells Parade. “Lee asked me for my number and we immediately took conversation off the app, which was nice.”
Katie makes a good point—that taking messages off the app can do wonders for setting you apart from the rest. “It [can be] overwhelming being a good-looking woman on a dating app,” she explains. “You get lots of messages and it becomes exhausting trying to find someone you connect with.”
After a few months of conversation via text, they met in person. Now, they have a toddler together and another baby on the way.
Price: It’s free!

Best dating sites for seniors

6. Lumen
Lumen is the mature dating app for silver singles! No, really, that’s how they describe their app. Designed for singles over 50, users on Lumen add up to three pictures and create a personalized bio. Each profile allows you to list your likes and interests so that you have a few good conversation starters to work with when checking each others’ profiles.
Price: It’s free!

7. match.com
match.com is an online dating service that has been around since 1995, basically the start of the Internet! Since its one of the longest-running dating websites, there really aren’t any gimmicks here. Users simply create a profile, then connct with matches. You can send messages to other users, arrange to meet up in person, and even attend events specifically designed for match.com singles. In recent years, match.com has specifically appealed to a more mature demographic, making it the perfect dating site for people ages 40+.
The website also has a few subcategories for a more specific dating experience: match for gay and lesbians, Asians, Christians, and more.
Laurel Lea, 59, is currently PETA’s Sexiest Vegan Over 50 in the U.S. and has been trying to find someone on dating sites like match.com, OK Cupid, and even Green Singles, a a judgment-free niche dating site for vegans and vegetarians.
“I’m on match. It’s awful!” Laurel tells Parade. “match freaking deleted the keyword search option, which means there’s no way to search the word ‘vegan.’ It’s the fastest growing consumer market on the planet, and they deleted it.”
Unfortunately, match.com deleting its advanced search option is hardly the only struggle Laurel has had on match.
“Let me tell you what happened to me today. The guy said he was 55. I am 59… that’s great. He reached out there was a tiny bit of banter back-and-forth, but I was busy. He says something along the lines of, ‘Oh I forgot to disclose I’m not 55. I’m 65.’ He didn’t forget to disclose it! What he should’ve said was, ‘I lied,'” Laurel say. “I’m telling you welcome to my world, LOL!”
Price: It’s $17.99 for the standard, six-month plan.

8. eHarmony
While not specifically toted as a dating site for seniors eHarmony tends to appeal to a more mature crowd, ages 40+. Perhaps because eHarmony has a history of matching life-long couples, it tends to appeal to people who are looking for a long-term partner.
When signing onto eHarmony, users fill out a Relationship Questionnaire. Behind the scenes, eHarmony then matches users based on the compatibility of their questionnaires and really focuses on quality matches rather than a littany of options. For those looking for something more serious, a handful of more serious suitors can really come in handy.
For some people, the in-depth Relationship Questionnaire leads to building more compatible matches. For others though, such an in-depth profile can maybe take the fun out of meeting someone new.
“I was on everything!” Katie says. “e-Harmony’s profiles are so elaborate, which I’m sure helps people find good matches, but it was almost taking the mystery of a new person away.”
Price: A 1-month membership costs $59.97; a 3-month membership costs $29.95 a month.

Best dating sites for special interests

9. Christian Mingle
Christian Mingle is a dating site for Christian singles who desire a relationship centered in a mutual love for God. The app is free and allows users to find Christian singles near you who have similar interests as well as similar beliefs. If you see someone on the app that catches your eye, simply send them a “smile.” “Smiles” open up the floodgates to messaging and is the easiest way to find out if the other person feels the same spark.
Price: It’s free to use but Christian Mingle also offers a premium membership that starts at $49.99.

10. Filipino Cupid
Filipino Cupid is a special interest dating site with the goal of connecting people from the Philippines and other Western backgrounds with their perfect, romantic match. Unlike many other popular dating apps or websites, Filipino Cupid does not use location as its main basis for connecting potential matches. Instead, users on Filipino Cupid understand that their soul mate may not exactly live around the block; in fact, they might live on the other side of the world!
Price: It’s free to peruse Filipino Cupid but to message back and forth, you have to subscribe to a membership. Memberships start at $25/mo for one month.

11. Jdate
Jdate is an online dating service for Jewish singles looking to connect with one another. The special-interest dating site has been around since 1997 and has been connecting Jewish singles for years. In fact, the app—which allows users to specify their Jewish affiliation on their profile, from Conservadox, Conservative, Hasidic, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, and Reform to “culturally Jewish”—has had some pretty famous Jewish users: American politicians Steve Rothman and Brad Sherman and singer Jesse McCartney.
The app also allows users to select “Willing to convert,” as their Jewish affiliation; though most popular in the U.S. and Israel, Jdate translates to English, German, Spanish, French, and Hebrew.
Jdate users can also specify their sexuality on the app as well—marking either men seeking men or women seeking women for same-sex couple options.
Price: Memberships start at $36/mo.

12. DesiKiss
For the past 15 years, DesiKiss has been connecting Indian singles. The site allows you to either search Indian singles near you or to expand your search to World+™, which provides unique access to members of all the World Singles websites. When logging onto DesiKiss, the site asks a variety of personal questions during the creation of your profile. From your favorite movies or media to “Do you smoke?,”  these questions are designed to suss out compatibility so that the most successful matches are made.
Price: DesiKiss is free to join, but their additional membership plans start at $19.99 for one month.

11. Black People Meet
According to Black People Meet, it is the largest dating site for Black singles in the U.S. and it’s been around, connecting Black singles since 2002. At Black People Meet, users can look for love, find friendships, and set up dates.
On the location-based app, you can send and receive messages and “flirts,” view other users’ profiles and photos, as well as see who has been checking your profile.
Price: It’s free, but to enable certain features, you would have to upgrade to a membership, which starts at $16.75 for one month.


Best dating apps for LGBTQ+

13. LGBTQutie
LGBTQutie is the app for LBGTQ+ people looking for a relationship rather than just a one-and-done hook-up. The free version of the app introduces users to potential dates as well as potential platonic friends within the queer space. The premium membership has some cool features like video chat, advanced search options, instant messaging, and a list of people who recently viewed your profile.
Price: Sign-up is free but a premium membership costs $10/mo.

14. Scruff
In case you couldn’t guess, Scruff is a GBTQ+ dating app for men who either have scruff or like scruff on their guy. It’s also the first queer app to offer an option for the transgender community, making it an inclusive dating app option all kinds of sexual orientations, preferences, and gender identities. The free version of the app is great for connecting with someone, but if you’re looking for more in-depth access, $15 a month will buy you advanced service, user videos, and messaging history.
Price: Scruff is free but for $15/mo, you can access premium features like user videos, message histories, and more.

15. Scissr
Queer womxn need and deserve a safe space to date online, which is exactly what Scissr sets out to do. While other lesbian dating apps have issues with fake profiles and homophobic catfishing, Scissr relies on Facebook sign-in to verify each user’s identity. Designed for queer womxn by queer womxn, the Scissr community welcomes lesbians, bisexual, nonbinary folks, and all other queer womxn looking to connect with others. Whether you’re looking for a friend, platonic relationship, or romantic relationship, Scissr is a safe way for queer womxn to connect, share, chat, and meet up.
Price: It’s free and unlimited!

16. Hornet
Hornet is one of the world’s largest dating apps for gay and bisexual men. With 25 million registered users, Hornet sees 4 million daily active users using its news feed and groups features. Designed to be both a dating app and social networking platform, to be on Hornet is to be engage in an online gay community. The opportunity to find love (or a relationship or a hook-up) is there on Hornet, but you can also find platonic relationships, connections, and friends on Hornet as well thanks to its news feed structure and ability to join groups.
Price: It’s free, but Hornet also offers VIP service (without ads) that ranges from $4.97 to $10/mo depending on length of subscription.


How to forge successful connections + dating advice

Are you nervous about using a dating app or dating site? Check out some advice from real people who have been in your shoes.
“I would just try not to take it too seriously and have fun with it. The more pressure you put on yourself to find a spouse or something like that, the weirder and more intense you’ll come off to someone else,” Hannah tells Parade. “I would also say, you CANNOT avoid bad app dates, you’re going to at least have a couple so try to see the humor in it. Be kind if they’re awkward, and if they’re rude or terrible you can always text someone to call with you an ’emergency.'”
Knowing what you want is also a meaningful starting point, Andrea says.
“As far as ‘success,’ I think that depends on how you define success. Whether you want to find a quick hook-up, a long-lasting relationship, or maybe just meet a new friend, I think you need to be clear on what your goal is and come with some sort of game plan,” Andrea explains. “If you don’t, then you will be taken along someone else’s journey and their goals.”
But beyond that, Andrea believes you should also just go for it!
“Do it!!!!!! Definitely don’t overthink,” Andrea says. “Start with one [app or site] not to overwhelm yourself and again, don’t overthink which one you join. You can always join another one later! Know what your goal is going in, have some sort of a plan, know very clearly what your must-haves and must-not-haves are, and just have fun!”
Authenticity is perhaps one of the most crucial tips for forging meaningful connections online and in person.
“I think for most people in my situation, the concern is that the chair will make people shy away,” Alivia says. “I made sure to upload photos where my chair is clearly visible so that I didn’t blindside anybody. I immediately started matching with people and having great conversations. I’ve yet to have a bad date with anyone I’ve met from any app and I got a relationship out of it.”
Alivia continues, “Most people tend to ask questions about my injury pretty early on, before even meeting, which I prefer. And so far, to my knowledge, it hasn’t hindered dating for me… I wasn’t sure if I was going to get anything out of these apps, but I’m so happy my friends convinced me to go for it.”
According to Priti of Bumble, the topics you choose to discuss do hold weight.
“I also suggest that you never talk about what you don’t want, talk about what you’re looking for,” Priti says. “On Bumble, we have filters and badges so that you can be intentional about the type of relationship you’d like to be in—whether that’s something serious or a bit more casual. Whether you’re looking for a new job in media, a new mom friend, or a date with a Sagittarius who loves live music, filters enable you to tailor your experience in a way that ultimately gives you more control of the kinds of relationships you’re looking to build. Assigning badges in your profile increases your chance of matching by 55 percent!”
It’s also important to photo-verify your profile, Priti says. On Bumble, photo verification is an extra step that shows your potential matches that you are who you say you are.
“You want your potential match to feel confident that you are who you say you are. If you see the blue check mark on someone’s profile you know they’ve gone through Bumble’s photo verification process,” Priti explains. “In an effort to continuously keep fake accounts at bay, we also launched a feature that allows you to request that your match photo verify their profile, too.”
And if you’re looking for some real, professional advice on how to find the one, Maria Sullivan has a few actionable tips for connecting with someone.
“Keep an open mind,” Maria recommends. “People tend to stick to their specific ‘type’ of preferred looks or style when it comes to dating. By opening up your mind and grabbing dinner or engaging in a conversation with someone who you might not often gravitate to, there is a chance that you find you connect with that person or are attracted to what their personality has to offer.”
Looking forward to the future, rather than thinking about your past partners, is also key.
“Don’t dwell on the past,” Maria says. “It is hard to put yourself out there and open up to finding a new partner when you have been hurt in the past, but there are so many new opportunities and connections waiting for you in the future that you have to look forward to.”
Lastly? Maria Sullivan’s best piece of advice is to show who you really are.
“Be yourself. I know this is a common saying, but it is so important,” Maria explains. “Don’t try to hide who you are or be embarassed about the things you like. Showing who you really are to potential partners will give you a better idea on if a relationship can grow.”
Even if a connection from a dating app or website doesn’t grow into something romantic, sometimes you end up with something even better.
“Some of my absolute favorite members that I’ll cherish forever are with people that I wouldn’t have met otherwise if it weren’t for these apps,” Alivia adds. “I’d say it’s been pretty successful so far.”
Now that you’ve scored a match, need some inspiration for that first date?

Check out this list of questions to ask a guy.

Source: https://parade.com/1061437/stephanieosmanski/best-online-dating-apps/