It's Going Down, I'm Yelling Tinder!

"I'm certain I'll find my soul mate in the questionable and seedy world of online dating."
-Anonymous

Back in October 2013, I was convinced by a friend that I should check out the app Tinder. At that point, I had been single for about six months so I thought why not. Well the funny is that it became a sort of addiction. Through online dating, I felt like I had so much more power over my love life because it was like being at a buffet. All you can date! There were so many different types of guys to choose from and when you matched with someone, it felt like the biggest confidence boost. 

For me, I was busy with my senior year at a small private college; meaning no real social life. So online dating seemed like the next best option. I went into open minded because I did not want to rush into another relationship. My heart was still healing from the last relationship I had been in. Stating that you are just looking to meet people can be pretty tricky. I had to block different guys thanks to their interesting pick up lines.

What I learned from this experience is how to take a chance. I could easily mope around about how broken I felt and how hard it is for me to trust. The thing is with online dating you have to be brave. You have to realize that yes your heart can be broken but not every guy is trying to break it. You also have to realize that the point of dating in general is to take chances in other to meet some one that can change you for the better. 

I have met a few characters while using tinder and I thought it would be fun to create a list. There are five main categories:

1. Party Animals (Ravers, Musicians, DJs)

These guys are easy to spot because they have about 4 pictures of them with their friends at a club or surrounded by half naked girls. This may be a red flag if you were hoping for something long term. The conversations last at most 4 messages before you are asked if you would be down to "hook-up". In terms of musicians and DJs, these profiles will consist of their Instagram username or link to their music so that they could build a fan base or more groupies.

2. Muscle Men...do you even lift?

These guys may be my favorite because their main picture is usually shirtless. However, this is a distraction girls! LOOK AWAY! Or just look to see if they have other pictures. Because if you are into just appearance (and let's be serious most people are if they are on this app) then you may get fooled by the body and disappointed by the face. It is a sad reality. Another thing is the fact that these guys live at the gym. If you cannot keep up with their interesting eating habits or support their routines you may not last long. There is also a chance that they are looking for more of a physical relationship because most women probably want them (reference the buffet again). 

3. Recovering Romantics 

These guys are sweet hearts. They are usually the ones who are recently out of 3+ year relationships and looking to see what else is out there. Through my experience, they were cheated on in their last relationship so their interactions with dates can vary. In many cases, friends made them make the profile in hopes that they would move on and join the single world. If you meet a guy like this, have an idea of what you expect out of this app because they have already been hurt before. 

4. Foreign Guys...in the land of milk and honey.

What is it about American girls? The funniest thing that I noticed on tinder was the abundance of foreign men that are visiting California and were using the app. A large number of them instantly messaged me in regards to sex because they were leaving to go back to their home country or were new to ours. Like sex was some sort of "Thanks for being here" prize! Any ways...most of them were pretty well off but spoke very little English (shout out to my guys from France).

5. Mr. Workaholic

There is nothing wrong with a guy that is all about his work. In fact, most women want a guy that is established in his career and has goals in life. The biggest problem with this is if you are like me and have not found your spot in the world of employment. What ends of happening is that work becomes the center of their focus and no matter how spectacular you think you are...there is going to be times when work comes first. If this means they have to leave the state or work over time, then that is it. You cannot stomp your feet and pout. It only makes guys resentful. This is just something to consider when dating. Maybe when you find you are more established you can revisit that person.   

I am sure there are other guys out there that I have missed. Overall, my main message is to go out there and try it. Currently I am in a situation that has potential so I am trying not to jinx it. If you have your doubts about the whole process, make sure you do your research. There are many sites out there for all types of relationships. But if you do choose to go on dates with strangers be safe about it. Let someone know what you are doing and talk for awhile before you just jump into a situation. In this day and age, online dating is actually more common than people think. So you are not weird if you try it. You are BRAVE.

If you liked this post check out: http://sluttygirlproblems.com/guide/alice-in-tinder-land/ for more on Tinder experiences.