By Nathan Shockley–

As a generally awkward college student who is freshly single, getting back into the dating game was going to take some bravery. Instead actually socializing in person with girls I took to the internet to solve my dating problems. Yet, I wouldn’t consider myself to be desperate enough to apply to a “real” dating site, so I downloaded Tinder. If you are unfamiliar, Tinder is a dating app that skips practically all formalities and goes straight to judging people based on looks. A picture pops up of a potential dating candidate and you can swipe through the 1-5 pictures of themselves alongside a short bio snippet about them. A swipe left means you are uninterested and a swipe to the right means that you are interested. If both potential candidates swipe right, then you have a match and let the messaging begin.

Now that you have the foundation, let’s dive into the reality of the app.

At first I was skeptical of using this app because I have heard my fair share of horror stories about its use.  Maybe I was pretty desperate because I disregarded them and went on to swiping.

You will be exposed to everyone in your general vicinity who has this app, which includes but is not limited to: exs, co-workers, professionals, classmates, former high school friends and maybe even that cute girl that sits behind you in class.

As I’m swiping through, I realized there are a ton of people using Tinder – which made me feel better about myself, I’m not the only one in the lonely hour.

For some, it’s one swipe. For other’s, you might feel the skin of your index finger diminishing. But once you match with someone, the waiting game has begun. It seems the male is typically the first to make a move.

Saying a simple greeting here is frowned upon and probably won’t get you much of a reply. I usually shoot for something quirky based on their bio. Although that’s just me, there are plenty of bio descriptions that should key you in on a good greeting message.

Okay, now the first message has been sent, and if she replies, it’s time to get social.

My first Tinder date in real life did not go so hot. She did not look a thing like the pictures she had posted so when she first approached me I was taken aback by this mysterious person sitting down with me. I tried to look past it and continue as if I had not been in complete shock.

I asked her about her day and she went on to tell me about her strong love for Donald Trump and her dislike of several minority groups. Luckily we had gone to the movies so I did not have to listen to much more of her slander. I cut the date off as soon we left the theater making up an excuse about getting up early for work the next day.

This was a rough first exposure to the world of Tinder. It does not have to be all bad and you have to be prepared to handle any situation if you are meeting with a stranger. Make sure you look into a person a bit more than just their selected profile pictures and short bio. But…don’t be afraid to formulate a quick escape if things go sour.