There are a lot of ways to find love in this life. Some people come across love in coffee shops or sitting on bar stools. Some find it in the quiet corners of a downtown library. Some find love tucked away in the everyday silence of a small-town life, and others find it within the rush of a college sidewalk. Sometimes, however, you have to search for love.
Tinder, a popular dating app, allows a person to create a profile with which others can get to know them. You swipe left or right like you're opening or closing a door into the world of a maybe, maybe not, stranger. But Tinder is not always the best fit for those who use it. Here are five people who really shouldn't be using it.
1. The very recently single
So you just broke up with your significant other an hour ago. Maybe it's not yet time to delve into the world of hungry hippos looking for a happy hookup. We all say and do things we don't mean sometimes, but we really make mistakes when we're feeling vulnerable over a breakup. Give it a week or two and rethink the download before you get down low in the dumps after a few too many mistakes.
2. The recently rejected
If you recently put your heart out on the line and were given it back like it was a screaming, crying baby that the other person just really did not want, don't go downloading too quickly, baby. Think about the reasons you were rejected and reflect. Maybe the reason they didn't want to jump in was because they didn't think you were serious, and stoking up the fire with others on Tinder is obviously not the best way to show that person that you're willing to wait for them.
3. The unhappy couple
So you've hit the wall in your relationship and you don't feel appreciated. It's easy to log in to the dating site and log out of your ill feelings toward your S.O., but that's not how it should be handled. Obviously, if you're looking elsewhere for attention, it's time to reassess your current relationship before you go searching for another one behind the perfectly shot profile pictures and witty banter. Re-evaluate and recuperate before you go messing with something that might be fine, just misunderstood.
4. The person looking for a hookup
We get it. You just want to have fun, but at what cost? Tinder can be used for a lot of things, like making new friendships, finding matches with those who you really might connect with, or finding out more about yourself through the eyes of another than you ever could have from just staring into the mirror. Be wary, however. Don't go breaking those hearts, because you probably could if you tried and no one wants a heartbreaker who simply plays the game to win. That's so cliched.
5. The one with low self-esteem
There are a lot of people who fit into this category who may be in the others as well, and we ask that you rethink your choice here. We're all looking for love because, as humans, we yearn to love. However, love does not come in the form of a text message saying you're a "total cutie" or "hot thing." Love comes first from yourself, sent to yourself -- not in a message or some form of technology, but in constant reminders that you are enough, that you have enough, that you do enough. Love yourself before you ask others to do the same.
Tinder in itself is a brilliant app made to connect people, to bring those searching hearts a few steps closer. Just be wary of those who fit these categories because chances are, their motives are not too similar to yours. Pleasant conversation can lead down many strange paths when winky faces and heart eyes are included. Beware of the emoji and remember to guard your heart. Phones get viruses and hearts do, too. Don't let yours be one of them.
