5 Things I Learned During My First Month On Tinder

Many of you may know what Tinder is, and how weird it can be sometimes. From guys who just want hook-ups to couples who make you feel super uncomfortable, it is just an all-around weird experience. A lot of people think that Tinder is solely a place for hookups, but you would be surprised by the number of guys and girls on there that just want a genuine connection. It may be the last resort, but in a world operating on social media, Tinder has become a new way to connect with people you would have otherwise never met. Now there are still a few things that most people don't realize when you sign up for that app, and I'm here to shed some light.

1. People actually do read the bio

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For those of you who think that your bio will never be read, you are completely wrong. The number of times guys have messaged first trying to use info from my bio to catch my attention is a majority of the messages that I receive. On the flip-side, however, if a guy doesn't have a bio, I am five times more likely to swipe left than I am right. I mean if you can't even think of a fun fact about yourself how are we going to have a decent conversation?

2. Get photo validation — even if it’s from anex

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When I first made my profile I had no idea what kind of photos to put, whether they should be all selfies or group shots or a mix. Oddly enough having my ex and my friend vet my photos was the best thing I could have done. They gave me an outside opinion on what other people would see versus what I see. So make a mini day of it, take some new photos or go through old ones with some friends. I promise it'll make all the difference.

3. I don’t have time to be Sherlock Holmes

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This is really important! Don't just use group photos, there's a good chance that girl is swiping right because she thinks you're the super hot guy in the corner of the photo looking super chill, when really you're the guy in the center with a beer hat on. If I can't tell which guy you are within the first two photos, I probably am swiping left and moving on. I'm not going to spend 20 minutes trying to decipher who you are — it is Tinder after all.

4. You have to trust yourself

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That guy who won't stop messaging you until you reply that you are just trying to put off as being sweet may indeed be a creeper. If you get an uncomfortable feeling about someone, just trust that your gut knows what it's feeling and unmatch or block the profile. At the end of the day, just because someone was nice to you, doesn't mean you owe them a full blown conversation or hang out. Trust that you know what is best for yourself.

5. Say hi first — it is the 21st century after all

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Sometimes you have to put yourself out there and message first. You can't always expect the other person to reach out first. Taking initiative shows confidence and nine times out of ten the person receiving your message will like that, unless of course you send them a creepy text.

All-in-all, I think my experience on Tinder hasn't been too bad. I have met some really cool people... and also some really weird people, but the general consensus is that I made the right decision. I've been out of the single game for almost 7 years with only sporadic periods of time sprinkled in that I was single. Now, after one month on Tinder, I feel better with my confidence and talking to people. So if you're hesitant to give it a shot, I say go for it!