Since it's finals week and we needed a study break, one of my roommates and I have spent the past few days experimenting with some various dating apps. They're all fairly similar, but they do have their own quirks, some of which don't even have anything to do with the apps themselves. Basically, we did the dirty work so you don't have to.

Tinder

Everybody knows about Tinder, so why not start here? It was the app that we all downloaded a year ago when these apps first started coming out, and it's the app we all still automatically go to if we're going to use one at all. For the uninitiated, Tinder shows you the profile of another person, which includes a bio and a few pictures. Based on that information, you either "swipe right" (choose to talk to them) or "swipe left" (choose to never see them again). If you both swipe right, you match! Then you can talk to each other through the app and theoretically go on a date (or ~whatever~).

Tinder is fun. It's playful, nobody really cares too much, and the conversations can be fun if you put in the effort. It's also super nice because it's a very popular app, so you're almost guaranteed to have new people to sort through every time you get on. But, if you do want to have an actual conversation, you need to either come prepared with some ridiculous ice-breaker questions or be ready to comment on the other person's bio, because initiation of conversation is kind of scarce on the website.

I'm not a huge fan of Tinder, personally, because I tend to know too many of the people I see, but it is fun! Overall, we would recommend.

Jswipe

I don't have a Jswipe (I just learned you don't have to be Jewish), but my roommate says it's one of the best. The system is a lot like Tinder, supposedly, but with a Jewish theme. According to my roommate, the people on Jswipe are significantly nicer than Tinder; there are very few, ahem, "f***boys" on Jswipe. The vibe is a little bit more serious than on Tinder, which could be good or bad depending on what you're looking for. Other than that, the only downside is that the Jswipe community is much smaller than Tinder, so running out of people isn't unheard of.

Conclusion: I'll probably download Jswipe next time I'm bored.

Bumble

Bumble is probably my favorite of all the apps. Theoretically, it's almost identical to the other apps, but I think it's hands down the best. Like on Tinder, you're given one profile a time and forced to swipe right or left. Also like Tinder, this profile contains a bio and a few photos. All of that is pretty much the same, although the Bumble interface feels slightly more intuitive (instead of tapping the profile to see more pictures like on Tinder, Bumble lets you simply scroll down). Then, if you both swipe right, you get to chat! Here comes the part where Bumble is smart: unlike in Tinder, the woman has to start the conversation in Bumble. If she doesn't within 24 hours, the match will go away. I've found that this forces me to reach out to matches when I normally wouldn't (I never initiate Tinder conversation), which means that I get to talk to many more people than I normally would, and I've had some fun conversations!

My roommate would comment on Bumble, but she's waiting until next quarter to download it because "I need something to look forward to!" Overall, Bumble is bae (ha), and you should definitely download it. Plus, everyone on Bumble is somehow significantly more attractive than any other app.

Happn

"My only thought about Happn was that it wasn't happening" -my roommate. Unfortunately, I tend to agree. The theory behind Happn is cool: you get to see people that you've recently crossed paths with, under the assumptions that if you're in the same area, you probably have something in common and it will be easier to hang out. Unfortunately, this just doesn't do it for us. The location thing is weird, especially since we live in a business district and frequently "cross paths" with people while we sit on our couch. Also, the app gives the ability to send charms (like Tinder super likes), and it's pretty disconcerting to be singled out like that. Finally, while scrolling through people, they're all displayed at once, Pinterest-style. Since I'm not forced to make a decision on any of them, I wait, and then meet nobody.

Overall, don't waste your time on Happn. Definitely not my favorite.