How to Successfully Date in a Social Distancing World

Introduction

• In the midst of a global pandemic caused by COVID-19, the way we live our everyday lives is rapidly changing. We are suddenly finding ourselves facing a radically different world. Many of us are hunkering down in our homes to self-isolate, either because our state has issued a “shelter in place” order or simply because we want to play it safe to protect ourselves and our loved ones. When we do leave the house, we are all (hopefully) practicing social distancing and staying at least 6 feet away from everyone we see. As a result of all this, the world is finding creative solutions to continue working, entertaining, and socializing. But what does that mean for your journey to find love?

Even though we’re all maintaining our social distance, that doesn’t mean our dating lives need to grind to a halt. Now more than ever, people are facing loneliness head-on and longing to make connections and form real, meaningful relationships. But where should you start?

How to Find a Date

• When it comes to finding a new love interest while stuck at home, the lure of various dating apps and swiping possibilities may feel even more attractive than usual. These methods are quick, convenient, and readily available. Despite this, dating apps are not the best way to find a real, successful relationship. The endless sea of potential love interests encourages mindless swiping and serial dating with no real stakes or any kind of commitment. The algorithms these apps are built on may be highly intelligent formulas, but they will never be able to see you and your potential matches as whole, multi-dimensional people, with emotions and desires that cannot be fully captured by a dating profile.

If you’re hesitant to jump into the dating app world, or if you’ve tried it before without much success, consider hiring a matchmaker. Matchmakers are trained to do what dating apps cannot. They get to know who you are, what you’re looking for, and what traits your partner should have for you to both achieve your relationship goals. And since we’re all stuck in our houses, there’s never been a better time to give it a shot!

Virtual Date Ideas

• Dating under quarantine is going to look and feel a bit different, but this is a great opportunity to get creative! Technology provides us with so many ways to connect from the comfort of our own homes. Have a quick chat with your date to decide which platform will work best for you both. For example, Facetime isn’t going to work if you don’t both have Apple devices. For some help deciding, check out CNET’s article covering 7 free video chat apps.
• Once you’ve agreed on a platform and picked a date and time, decide what you want your time together to look like. Do you want to have drinks together? You can each make yourselves drinks in your own kitchens and enjoy them while you talk. Want to grab dinner? Maybe you both order takeout from the same restaurant. Are you more of a traditional dinner and a movie type? After your meal is over, take a nice stroll together to your respective couches and decide on a streaming service you both have. Netflix recently released a free extension for Google Chrome called Netflix Party that allows you to stream the same movie or show simultaneously while chatting, which could be a great option for a virtual movie date.

If you’re still struggling to find a video date idea that will work for you, consider turning to a matchmaker! A good matchmaker can help spark ideas to make your time with your date something special. They will also help boost your confidence and guide you on ways to encourage meaningful, deep conversations with your date. Afterall, while any successful date should have a healthy dose of deep conversation, you will likely find this to be even more true during a virtual date!

Preparing for a Virtual Date

So, you have your person and you have your plan, now what?

• In a lot of ways, preparing for a video date should be a lot like preparing for any other date. Pick out the perfect outfit, spend too much time on your hair, practice your small talk in the mirror, the normal rituals. Don’t skip these things just because you won’t actually be meeting in person or even leaving your house! Not only will this effort be noticed by your date, but it will also help get you in the right mindset to make a good impression and take this date just as seriously as you would under normal circumstances.

While all of your typical date preparation will still apply here, there are some additional things you need to consider before your virtual date. Will you be “meeting” via your phone, a tablet, or a computer? Get whatever device you plan to use set up where you want it and turn on your webcam or front-facing camera. What’s in the background of the shot? Can you see the dirty dishes in your kitchen sink or the pile of laundry on your bed? How’s the lighting? Your date needs to be able to see you clearly. If possible, try checking all of this by using whatever video chat platform you’ll be using on your date. You want to make sure to familiarize yourself with the program and how it works on your device beforehand to eliminate any technical issues as best you can.

After the Date

• You’ve successfully navigated going on a virtual date in this new social distancing landscape! How did it go? Are they “the one?” Not the right fit? Too soon to tell?

Obviously you should aim for a few more video dates before making that call, but if you’re still unsure if you’re a good match, ask a professional! At Matchmaker Review, we have expert love coaches that are ready to help you evaluate your compatibility and assess potential next steps, or if your date was a dud, how to move on. Contact us today to get matched with one of our professional love coaches!