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How Tinder Has Changed Due to the Coronavirus

Person Drawing a Map with a Camera and Passport on the Side

If you’re an extrovert, being stuck at home is not the most ideal situation. The never-ending boredom mixed with borderline claustrophobic sensations can drive a person crazy. At home, there is only so much you can clean, workout and cook before you’re sitting on the couch again watching another episode of “The Office.” However, with Tinder’s introduction of a new free passport, you can now explore the world, virus-free and from the safety of your home — a service that also appeals to many. 

Meeting new people online has always been tricky, even before the coronavirus. You can’t be too dark or people will think you’re psycho, nor can you consistently drop bad puns or people will think you’re too cringy. Yet, the virus has brought a common ground to all of us: what are you doing in quarantine? 

George Ali, current student of Zoom University, or the University of Nevada, Reno, talks about the way the coronavirus has impacted the way he interacts on Tinder.  

“Before the quarantine, I would try and plan an in-person date, but with Coronavirus, I like to suggest using Netflix Party,” shared Ali. 

Netflix Party is an application that allows people to synchronize their Netflix remotely and adds a chat function, where you can comment to others as the movie or TV show plays. 

“I prefer using Facetime on the side because it feels more personable and closer to a movie date as you can get.” 

Instead of immediately trying to link up, many users, such as Nevada student Ross Buhler, have taken the time to explore the differences of culture in other locations.

“I set my passport to Egypt and found out it’s common every morning to wake up to the sound of the mosque calling ‘Allahu Akbar.’”

Though Tinder is viewed as a hook-up app, out of sheer boredom and perhaps fear of leaving  home, it has given us the chance to be social while respecting social distancing. To be able to connect from significant distances and collectively complain about the coronavirus is a magnificent and entertaining feat.

So, once you’re done with everything you can possibly do in your home, consider downloading Tinder and exploring the 50 million people who are as collectively as bored as you. 

 

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