Being single in college is great. It's just as good as being in a relationship. You go out as much as you want, put your energy into friendships, and focus on your future goals without having to accommodate another person. However, if you've been single in college, you've probably had a Tinder profile, which is the most unhealthy thing you can do in a time when you're supposed to be focusing on yourself.
Our generation gets a lot of flack for using social media, but it can be beneficial in many ways. It can help you network with future employers, spread your art, and stay in touch with family and friends from high school. However, when used excessively or as a procrastination device, social media is a counter-productive time-suck. Tinder originally launched on college campuses, and as of now, Tinder has over fifty million users, and most of its users are still young college students. It embodies this essence of social media. Worst of all, it doesn't have any of the advantages I listed before. You're mostly having dull conversations with strangers that have a small chance of resulting in an awkward date or one-night stand.
Tinder is not something you should be doing every time you're bored. It's just a distraction and a waste of time. But more than that, unlike other social media sites that suck you down a rabbit hole of scrolling, Tinder makes you hope for something you don't want that you're probably not gonna get. It puts you in this constant mentality of pining for something you don't want. In this sense, Tinder will not make you less lonely, it will make you more lonely.
Be real with yourself. The love of your life isn't waiting for you on Tinder. Eligible matches are scarce. That chance is like being struck by lightning. Consider the fact that good relationships start organically, and consider if a relationship is really something you want right now. Relationships are great, but they're not for everyone all the time. Relationships require time, money, and energy that you might not have right now. Consider that being single might be best, and think of the time you can spend on self-improvement.
Your single days in college should not be spent pining for someone that doesn't exist. They should be spent thinking about what's right in front of you and attaining your future goals. Tinder isn't fun, or at all conducive to that.
Don't lie to yourself as you swipe through hundreds of eye-roll worthy profiles a day, saying you don't take seriously. Whether you take it seriously or not, you're still wasting your time.
