Disclaimer: I have never been on a date with a boy from Tinder. I never even message them back half of the time.

If you’ve never heard of Tinder, you’ve probably been living under a rock.

The popular dating app shows individuals that are within a certain radius of your location, allowing you to meet people close by and maybe form a relationship. When the people pop up on the app, you have the choice of swiping left or right in hopes of getting a match. And you can only message one another if it is a match. It is commonly thought that Tinder is used to find local hookups, but there are many other reasons people utilize this 21st-century speed-dating site.

Let’s be clear: I am not the “Tinder type.” I am not on the app to look for hookups, companions, or even friends. I really only use Tinder for a good laugh. It’s quite comical to see some of the things that people put on their profiles: guys’ pictures of their holding a fish, their dogs, posing with their much more attractive friends, etc. The most laughable thing that I have ever seen on Tinder was once a guy put the definition of “the dominant” in his Tinder bio and said that he was looking for a “sex slave.”

Are we in real-life Fifty Shades of Grey or what?

Going on Tinder, honestly, gives me a self-esteem boost, and who doesn’t want to feel extra-good about themselves every now and then?! I am one of the most self-confident people out there, yet it’s nice every now and then to see that a stranger thinks I’m cute enough to swipe right to match. Obviously finding a partner is much more meaningful than the looks of them in a few (maybe edited?) pictures on a dating app, but it has helped me reach a new level of confidence.

While we shouldn’t let our only self-esteem come from the validation of others, at the end of the day, a little confidence boost won’t hurt you. Use Tinder and feel great about yourself on the days where you need to feel a little more special.