Tinder -- one of the infamous apps on the market, known for its controversy and romance. Researchers have said that Tinder is “a dangerous app that teens use just to have sex with each other.” (This researcher was my mom.) Others have said that “Tinder is stupid and if you use it you are going to get killed,” (also my mom). Clearly, Tinder is an app that is used by many, yet misunderstood by many more.

For those of you unaware of what this mystical app does, a simple explanation would be that it brings people together. In reality, Tinder is much more nuanced by just this, considering that everyone uses it for different purposes.

I downloaded Tinder when I was a senior in high school. One of my coworkers told me that she just installed the app and she had already talked to a ton of cute boys. Based on my inability to meet cute boys in the real world, I thought this app would be an excellent alternative. Before I knew it, I was hooked. Instead of working, I was swiping. Instead of studying, I was messaging. Instead of practicing, I was altering my profile so I conveyed the right level of "interesting." I loved my Tinder life. I matched with boys from around my county as the app still was not very popular. Then, one fateful day, I saw a boy from my high school on Tinder. I panicked. Tinder was all fun and games when I was merely judging the attractiveness of complete strangers, but now I was in a different territory. I immediately deleted the app and resented the Tinder-crazy girl that I had become. I vowed to never install such an app again, but alas, people change.

Come college I re-downloaded Tinder. I was at a new school and looking to match with new people. Romance and right-swipes were in the air as I opened the comforting interface while sitting in Alumni Grove. The crisp autumn breeze rippled through my hair as my eyes focused on the cool new college boys backlit on my iPhone screen. I was in complete bliss. It was like high school all over again but with more strangers and fewer inhibitions. Whenever I opened my phone and was greeted with the pleasant white and red flame I felt at home -- that is until I met more people and the seemingly innocent app became awkward again. I would sit in the dining hall and look up to lock eyes with the boy I matched with on Tinder last week. I would open the door to the Education Building only to bump into the boy that I was just messaging. My relationship with Tinder became rocky once more as I approached another breakup with the app.

For a long time afterward, I had Tinder deleted on my phone but I had not completely forgotten about it. To me, Tinder was a game, harmless. I had never met up with anyone from Tinder. I had never gotten involved in a formal conversation. I was a serial Tinder-flirter and I was fine with it. For this reason, I found no issue in re-downloading it once more when I was studying abroad in Europe. Here, Tinder again became my friend. If I was traveling to a new city and was looking for a fun night out, I would simply message my boys on Tinder to see if they recommended and clubs in the area. If I felt like practicing my language skills, I would have in-depth conversations with Spanish men I matched with on Tinder.

I am back in America now and I still have Tinder and continue to use it for research purposes. I almost exclusively match with people who I already know because I find the awkward interaction that follows to be fascinating. I make note of my matches who send me the phrase “Netflix and chill” as I find it to be an interesting piece of how society works. I look at all of the shirtless Tinder moments with both confusion and bewilderment.

Although my relationship with Tinder has been a bumpy one, it has also been a rewarding one. I have come to realize that this once terrifying app can also be a tool to expand one’s understanding of their culture. Tinder can be a positive asset. It can be a hook-up app if that’s what you want it to be. It can be a relationship-building app if that’s what you want it to be. With Tinder, the options are limitless. If you are a Tinder-hater (I’m talking to you, Mom) I beg you to reconsider your opinion and maybe even check out your local app store.