Let's keep it old-fashioned, please.

With technology taking over our society, it is hard to imagine it not making its way over to even one of the most personal parts of our lives: dating. I often find myself learning that technology, social media, and apps like Tinder are the reason for more relationships and/or hook-ups within my college community. Although many people are embracing online dating, I have to say that I am not a fan.

I’m going to be honest—I downloaded the Tinder app to see what all the hype was about. But I proceeded to delete it about five minutes later. I found myself doing what everyone else tends to do on this app: I was basing my “swipes” on how attractive the guy was in his profile picture. Not because I am a judgmental person, but because the app only gives you a picture and a bio section to base your judgment on. “Swipe, swipe, swipe…oh, he’s kinda cute…swipe, swipe, swipe” was what I was thinking in my five-minute Tinder experience. Even in this short amount of time, I began to hate what I was doing and hate what this app stands for.

I do not doubt that there are great couples who have met over this app, but I seriously doubt that the majority of couples resulting from Tinder are successful and genuine. Regardless of the exceptions, this app produces “hook-ups,” not meaningful relationships, because of the way the relationship begins. It doesn’t begin with a great conversation with someone you met at a bar, or maybe an awkward yet interesting run-in with a familiar classmate. It doesn’t begin as a friendship that eventually leads to a hookup or relationship. It begins with a judgmental swipe based on a person’s attractiveness in a picture. This app creates superficial and overly critical behavior, even if that person isn’t particularly critical in everyday life. The app is designed to create judgment. It is designed to make people objects rather than people. Having no dating life is better than having meaningless conversations with strangers whose intentions are unknown.

Technology is definitely taking over our society. It makes our lives easier and gives us endless opportunities. However, I think there are some aspects in our lives that should remain old-fashioned, hard, and genuine. Meeting people the old-fashioned way isn’t easy and sometimes seems impossible. But trying to make dating quick and simple usually isn’t going to end up with great results. Let’s try to keep dating like it used to be: exciting and difficult but real.