My Take on Tinder - An Online Dating App

Tinder - To Download or Not To Download? 

Recently, the news about a couple who’d been “occasionally” chatting on Tinder, an online dating app, met each other after 3 years, went viral on Facebook and Twitter and took over the internet, after the guy tweeted some texts they had exchanged in the 3 years of their occasional chatting, on his Twitter account and an American TV show decided to line up their meeting.

The texts shared by him (Josh Avsec, 21) with the girl (Michelle Arendas, 21), were hilarious to read, no doubt. The amount of time they took to reply to each other with the excuses they kept giving each other, had fun element to it, and were also quite eye catching. Honestly, had it been someone else, I believe, would have, in no time unmatched the other person, thinking that the person is not responding, taking it as a signal of 'not interested in talking'. I wonder what made Josh hold on and not unmatch immediately. Maybe, it was only meant to make them famous on the internet or because they were meant to meet. Personally, I also feel, Tinder has something to do with this whole thing. Like an ORM and PR kind of an activity, to gain the popularity, that it was losing lately.  

Tinder claims to be an app that makes a person meet their right match. Swipe, Match, Chat, Date, is its funda and its tag line. I would see too many Tinder ads on Facebook, when it was launched probably, and had heard a lot about this app. I was very curious to know how this app works, as I already get too many ‘rishta’ requests from shaadi.com & jeevansaathi.com. These are the websites, where I had to register because of the pressure I kept getting from my parents. Whereas, Tinder was my way to find a soulmate for myself.

Honestly, I didn’t want to register on either matrimony sites or download the tinder dating app, as I was in a relationship for more than 7 years and I fancied marrying my longtime boyfriend like any other girl would fancy about getting married. I had all the fairy tale-ish thoughts that occupied my mind most of the time during these 7 years. However, the tragic part of my love story was that it was one sided. It was only me who was involved in this relationship, the guy was involved, but his mind and heart didn't approve of this relationship. Why did I hold on for so long, you may ask. Let me answer that, I kept hoping against the hope that, someday he will fall for me. Which obviously didn’t happen.

One day with all the frustration within me, and to divert my mind from the relationship that I held on for so long, and also, with a little hope to find my soulmate on Tinder and also out of curiosity, I downloaded the app. Little did I know, that it’s not just an app to find a match, chat, and date like-minded people or find soul mates, but people also download it for many other reasons as well. By other reasons, I mean, guys also look for one night stands, friends with benefits, no strings attached kind of relationships, on this app. Basically, Tinder unknowingly or knowingly promotes hook up culture. It was not until I had downloaded the app and right swiped a few profiles of guys and had a chat with them, Friends with Benefits, No Strings Attached, were just names of movies for me. A few guys, I thought I could make a match with and find my soul mate in one of them, I started chatting, and was asked for the stuff mentioned by me. Had I known, that I’d get asked for hook ups, I’d not have downloaded the app.

I immediately unmatched the guys who were looking for hook ups only. As you would have figured out by now, how much of a hopeful person I am, I decided to give this Tinder thing one more try. I kept right swiping again, with a hope to find my soul mate, obviously, the curiosity had died, because of the encounters I had. However, I did make 2-3 good friends, and now, I talk with one of them on regular basis, the other one being Raj. Yes, Raj, the guy I had a huge crush on (and still have), but had to stop talking because, I didn’t want to feel broken again with a one sided love story.

Anyhow, neither was my frustration getting released, nor was I able to find soulmate, and the curiosity had died completely. After a few chats with few guys, all of them interested in no strings attached kind of relationship. I decided to put an end to this Tinder swiping thing and deleted the app permanently. I have no negative thoughts about Tinder, nor am I against the app, because I believe, the makers of the Tinder app may not be aware of what happens when a guy and a girl chats there, or with what intention one downloads the app.

I am glad to share that I was lucky enough that I didn’t come across any fake profiles. However, I wish there was some way to verify the fake profiles and whether a person we are talking to is faking it all or is speaking the truth about themselves. But I know, its an online dating app and a part of the internet, so it’s hard to find people on these dating apps to be completely honest with you.

All in all, it was a good experience of downloading the Tinder app and getting to know that no strings attached and friends with benefits are not just movies, but terms used by guys/girls on these dating apps or otherwise. I know, everyone reading this, is going to think how dumb of me, I myself think the same, like Kareena Kapoor quotes in Jab We Met “kitani gadhi thi main” :D, I still am dumber than many people my age. However, I am happy to say that I found Raj *dreaming of a romantic song sequence in Switzerland ki thandi thandi waadiya*, and I don’t know how long will this crush of mine last, but the point is, I found someone I could have thought of spending my life with. But maybe fate didn’t want that. Maybe, I still have to keep my search on, for finding the person and know what it feels like to be loved. J

My main purpose of writing this article was to talk about RAJ :P. No, just kidding. The viral tweet of Josh Avsec with a girl (Michelle Arendas), he was talking for 3 years, was the actual reason I thought of writing this article. Not all right swipes turn into fairy tales, some turn into worst night mares too. By saying this I am not trying to negate Tinder, but the news somehow had me wonder for days about my encounters with guys who were interested in hook ups. I did not mention it anywhere, but there were guys who would directly tell me, I hope you know why most guys download this app, which I had to take a sign as 'Girl, I am only interested in hooking up with you'.

Anyway, my advice to the ones reading this, download the app only if you are willing to be a part of the hook up culture or believe in the hook up culture. I am not that kind of a person, and hence wouldn’t recommend anyone to download the app.