After a long relationship ended, I decided to download the Tinder app that everyone was talking about. After downloading it, I did not realize how much action this would bring to my life. Quiet, awkward Claire finally had a way to look at and interact with hot guys without having to physically be in their presence. Was this real life? Is this even legal?

The app gave me the confidence boost that I needed to get back on the dating scene. Men that I thought would never give me a second glance were swiping right and super-liking me (whatever that means).

One of my first Tinder experiences was with Alan**. I had met Alan at the Starbucks by my house, but we had never had a conversation deeper than whether I wanted whipped cream on my green tea Frappuccino. We matched on Tinder, and I instantly became interested. Of course I want my own cute coffee maker! I can't afford a Keurig!

I went to his apartment one night around midnight, just because I couldn't wait to hang out with the charming barista who made the perfect frappuccinos for me. We talked for a long time, and of course, like many Tinder meetings, he wanted to have sex at the end of the night. He was so cute and so good at it that I didn't care what happened that night. I was caught up in the moment and lusting after the bangin' barista that had the same semicolon tattoo on his wrist that I had on my ankle.

This happened twice, and I never heard from him after that unless he wanted a booty call at 2 a.m. Not only did I miss out on this coffee shop hottie, but now I have to find a new Starbucks until he stops working there.

Alan was one of my first experiences, and I thought they would get better, but they did not. I was in a constant battle of trying to keep a man's attention on my brains instead of my boobs. It took several bad Tinder experiences for me to realize that this particular online dating app was not for long-term relationships.

Hookup Society: Welcome to the new millennium

Many millennials would agree that we live in a "hookup society," which means that a person is more open about their sexuality, and the average person is not waiting until marriage to hop into bed with someone. Younger people are looking to have casual sex instead of committing to a relationship. Tinder is actually categorized as a "casual dating" app, in comparison to sites like match.com and eHarmony.com, which claim to help you find someone with which you are compatible based on common interests. When you are on Tinder, you pick a person based on their looks and maybe their short bio, if they even have one. If you sign in through Facebook, some of your common interests and connections are displayed, but from my experiences, no one really pays attention to those. You can also set a distance range. So, if a person is looking for a one-night stand, they could set the distance to a radius of 5 miles to find someone closer to them. It seems that the days of meeting your soul mate at the coffee shop when you spill your latte on them are gone. In theory, Tinder seems like a great way to connect with people, and in many ways it is; however, it just reinforces our hookup culture. Online dating could even be one of the culprits in creating this hookup culture.

Casual sex and dating have always been around in society, but apps like Tinder give instant gratification. You're lonely? Get on Tinder and talk to one of your matches. You're horny? Ask one of your matches to meet up. Now, it is easier than ever to have sex with a complete stranger.

CNN Commentator Mel Robbins wrote an opinion piece on hookup culture last fall. In her article she says, " These new apps allow everyone to seek momentary validation in the form of casual sex with a stranger. Whether it's the guy who feels more macho after "racking up" conquests, or the gal who feels more attractive because she got to be the prize for the night."

When playing this game we now call dating, it is inevitable that someone is going to get hurt.

Let's talk about stats, baby

According to a report by expandedramblings.com, 79% of Tinder users are millennials. But, only 54% of users are single. Using these statistics, we can see that some people are using the app when they are in a committed relationship. Are they using it to cheat? Are they lying when using the app?

While this and other online dating sites may be great for some people, there are some users who take advantage of them. According to the UK's National Crime Agency report that was released in February, the number of rapes that occurred as a result on online dating was six times higher in 2014 than it was in 2009. According to the report, online relationships seem to mature quicker, and generally sexually explicit conversations happen long before the first meeting. Trust is established long before the first meeting, so instead of meeting in a public place, people feel safe enough to meet at a private residence.

What should you do?

So, does this mean that Tinder is good or bad? Well, that depends on the person. Society is always changing, and people's mindsets are always changing as well. Remember, 60 years ago we thought marijuana was lethal, and now it is being legalized.

This hookup society that we created was pretty much unavoidable. With the rapid development of technology, it was just a matter of time before we added dating apps to our email and social media apps on our phones.

Of course, this new idea comes with risks, but so does everything in life. As far as online dating, just be smart and use common sense.

So if you like using Tinder and have had good experiences, then by all means, continue using it. Keep calm, keep swiping, and keep super-liking, my friends.