ALEXANDRA ALCALA / ASST. A&C EDITOR

As USD gets ready to celebrate the holiday of love — Valentine’s Day — students search for new partners on dating apps. Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, Grindr, Raya and others have become the newest way to meet lovers. This has led more people toward the Internet as a way to meet their partner rather than meeting in person. According to a Pew Research study, one in five  partnered adults over the age of 30 had met online.  

As dating  apps began to gain popularity, some  wondered if it was really possible to create an intimate connection based on pictures, descriptions of someone and text  messages. Yet the  other side of  the  argument pointed out that this new era of technology  had begun and could lead to people finding romantic connections that they may not have had the opportunity to come across organically. Technology has helped us with homework, work, day-to-day tasks, entertainment and more. With that in mind, it  makes sense that  people have turned to computers to help them with their romantic lives.

Dating apps are popular amongst many audiences, but especially younger people, such as college students. Research shows that 53% of users on these apps range from the ages of 18 to 29, a common age range  of those who attend universities. It appears the most common apps that draw in college students are specifically Tinder, Hinge and Bumble. 

“I use Hinge, and I  found out about it  through some  friends,” USD  sophomore Aileen  Solis  said. “I   downloaded it because I was mostly bored and wanted to see who I could meet through there, but it’s just fun to be on it and I just wanted to see what I could do.”

Commonly, people seem to download dating apps out of boredom, not with the intention of developing a serious relationship. However, another common reason people may turn to these apps is simply due to curiosity. 

“I have Tinder,” USD sophomore Paige Reigrut said. “I downloaded it as a way to have fun along with my friends. We never really had or have the intent to find something  serious through the app, but it can be fun to swipe and chat with people. I have even come across other people that are on the app simply to chat and that’s it.”

Using  the   app  is  also  a  form of entertainment. Most apps have systems and algorithms that are designed to look  and  feel  as a  videogame  with the objective of capturing the user’s attention to ensure they  return to  the  app  frequently.

What people question the most is the ability of these apps to find them a long–term and stable relationship. Recent studies have shown that while the apps are popular, they seem to not have a high success rate.

“It was very hard to transfer online chats into an in person relationship,” USD senior Olivia Bassett said. “It was disappointing but not surprising to experience this trend, because I feel like people are too scared to converse outside  of  their  digital   identity.”

Another reason for a lack of success or engagement is a result of the unsafe environment that these dating apps can foster, especially for women. According to a study done by Stacy Jo Dixon, one in five women in the country have had a somewhat negative experience, over one in 10 have had very negative encounters and 32% of users have deemed the apps to  be unsafe. 

“I think the best way is to meet someone organically, and I feel that that is the ultimate goal for everybody,” Solis said. “I do think Hinge is an interesting way to meet people, but I don’t know if meeting someone off dating apps would guarantee a life-long partner.”

When considering creating a profile, potential users may consider factors such as the safety of the apps and if it’s worth investing time in. Although, it must be acknowledged that these apps  have  led  to  successful   results  in some cases. Yet, many students  are   still   wary   of  using  the  apps when searching for a serious long-term relationship. 

“I wouldn’t recommend them,” Reigrut said. “At least not for something serious. I don’t think they are the best way to find a long-time partner, but they can be fun from time to time.”

Some have speculated that the rise of users in dating apps is tightly intertwined with the recent rise in hookup culture that has grown especially among young people these last years. As the  years  pass,   there’s   the  question of whether going on official dates and the courtship that used  to take place are being forgotten as hookups   become  the  new  norm.

“I think dating apps are interesting, but because of our generation’s hookup culture, I do think that that’s really what the apps are for,” Solis said. “I do believe that  the  advertisements that promise a committed and serious relationship from the apps are not truthful.”

Tinder was one of the first dating apps to make its rise among society and in the app store, however, there was an  unexpected turn that took place as it became known that the app was not solely for dating purposes, but also for one-night hookups. This is also one of the reasons why dating apps are not taken as seriously as it was hoped by the designers. A lot of people look to date casually or simply hookup instead of joining a committed relationship.

“I do think  dating apps have a correlation with hookup culture, especially if we are talking about Tinder, the original hookup tool,” Bassett said. “These apps emphasize superficial values based on appearance like height, hair color and overall subjective attractiveness.”

Regardless, there has been a rise in new apps hitting the market. Some are exclusively for those searching for a casual dating experience while others are intended for those who desire a long-term relationship.

Across the board of dating apps, there is one time of the year where, statistically, the user rate rises, and that is on February 14, also known as Valentine’s Day. Students and single people in general may look to these  apps on  Valentine’s day to find someone to spend the holiday with, and this could either be a one-time night out or it could end up being more. 

“I can definitely see people turning to dating apps on Valentine’s Day to find comfort in their loneliness, but I would say that this is like putting a bandaid on a bullet wound,” Bassett said. “I say this because these  apps  just don’t  really lead  to  long-term  relationships   most  of  the  time.”

It seems USD students create profiles on dating apps as a way to pass time and have fun, sometimes with the company of friends. Dating apps have become more normal for recent generations. Some might believe dating apps will revolutionize themselves and become more successful for everyone. However, dating — whether online or offline — is always challenging. As Solis and Reigrut point out, matching with someone online as well as meeting someone organically has challenges of their own. It ultimately comes down to which ones people are more comfortable overcoming.

Some Toreros turn to dating apps to find love. Photo courtesy of Alissa Abramovich