Tinder can come off as match.com's sketchy, irresponsible teenage sibling. With randoms "swiping" on your carefully chosen array of images designed to say "look, I'm totally single!" it makes sense for things to go awry. So, you can imagine my surprise when this questionable app ended up getting me through the brutal post-breakup period. You know the one — after things end with your S/O where you're kind of in shock, kind of devastated but also kind of free and ready to be daring?
Well, "daring" for me was pulling the trigger on a brand-new tinder account, and I was very pleasantly surprised.
1. It's the perfect mood-booster.
Breakups are hard and sad, so they can take a serious toll on your emotions throughout the processing stage. Tinder, on the other hand, is emotionally demand-free and completely comedic. Prepare to be swarmed by boys with flirting skills straight out of the 8th grade!
2. It's a confidence booster, too.
The whole point of Tinder is to display pictures that say "I'm hot, adventurous, funny and I love dogs" so naturally you are going to get plenty of swipes. (Welcome to the entire concept of tinder). But there is something exciting about seeing that Brock from Mega Apple Pi "super-liked" you and sent you the cheesiest pickup line in existence. Yeah, I know, consider the source. The point is, he's cute and thinks you're cute enough to take time out of his swiping and let you know, screen to screen. Take the compliments with open arms and run with 'em, girl!
3. It gets your mind off of that ex
Let's face it, going through a break up doesn't inspire most people to throw caution to the wind and move on like it never happened. It can be difficult not to think about what your ex is up to, or if they're happy, or if they're thinking about you the same insane amount of time you're thinking about them. So when you're staring at your phone waiting for them to contact you, what better way to divert your attention than to flood your screen with a cute rando's cheesy pick up lines?
SEE ALSO: 18 Tinder Pickup Lines I've Been Hit With And Immediately Swiped Left
4. It gets you back on your flirting feet
After a break up, it's easy to feel a little isolated from the opposite sex. You haven't flirted with anyone besides your S/O for however long and quite frankly you didn't need to with them, so you've probably been out of the flirting game for a hot minute. What better way to hop back in than by practicing on complete strangers? No need to worry about the quality of your flirt-game, you can botch pickup lines and awkward attempts at compliments to your heart's desire.
5. You can learn something new
I surprisingly found myself learning so many cool things about the state we live in from my matches. I threw a picture of me hiking onto my bio, so a big population of hikers started to message me about their favorite trails and the best places to go. I also had a couple matches that seemed to be some sort of proteges, which crammed my brain with an insane amount of cool facts and information. You can bet I'm saving those tidbits to whip them out in a circle of fancy intellectuals. After a breakup, this kind of information is a great way to get your mind onto better things and improve yourself in the process!
6. It reminds you that you've still got a lot to offer
Okay, true story time. Due to a passion for the ever-so-cliche Don't Stop Believin' by Journey, I included a joke about the song in my bio, along with a note that I'm a musician. My first match sent me a message with altered lyrics of the first verse, ending in "I took the tinder train going anywhere."
Clever, right?
We bantered back and forth before I received a link. It was to a video of him singing and playing his altered-lyrics version of the second verse(!!!). Just like that, tinder had matched me with an incredibly funny and talented musician. Who also happened to share my interest in the Myers-Briggs test. And thought my career goals were amazing. And encouraged me to strive for the best. I found myself chatting with a complete stranger who did nothing but show genuine interest and build me up. It was a friendly little reminder that I could connect with a guy while finding each other interesting and worthwhile.
