Just a couple of months ago, at the beginning of this year, people were still not treating the new Coronavirus seriously. At the early stages of its existence, the virus seemed so distant and easy to overcome that very few of us could even imagine the prospect of the whole world going into the lockdown.
Today, however, it has become our new reality. We are all adjusting to the new lifestyles we were forced to adopt, and are hoping for all of it to be over soon.
Nonetheless, it does not mean that our love lives need to be nonexistent during the lockdown. While they definitely will undergo some major changes, there is still a chance for a lockdown love story and a big one!
What Does The Lockdown Mean For Your Love Life If You Are Currently Single?
If you have entered the lockdown being single, it can be a little bit frustrating. Seems like your love life is being put on a pause for a bit without you getting out there to embrace your flirtatious self.
Well, the statement above is only true for those of you who are only meeting people in real life in clubs and cafes and other different social gatherings. With the beginning of lockdown and the advised social distancing, those have become semi-legal, which means you cannot actually go out and come home with a flaming hot date.
However, it does not mean that you cannot explore the other side of dating! In the modern world, there are so many different ways of meeting new people that physically going outside of your house constitutes only a fairly small part of them.
The whole world is slowly shifting into the virtual plane, which affects all spheres of our lives, dating very much so included. Nowadays, you are not limited to meeting only the people that you see on the streets of the place where you currently reside in, but can actually travel the world in search of your soulmate! And while traveling does not sound like the smartest idea right now, doing so via the internet is a safe bet.
Just download one of the numerous dating apps or register an account on one of the various online dating websites and get down to exploring the vast dating pool of singles from around the globe!
Dating Apps Have Never Been This Effective Before
As mentioned above, dating apps are a particularly great way of meeting new people and the potential love of your life online. Especially now when everyone suddenly does not have anything better to do and just spends all their free time on their phone.
Major dating apps did not ignore the fact there is a virus going around that makes people stay inside isolated and acted on it. A number of popular online dating platforms have taken measures to attract more people and amplify their chances of finding someone special to connect with.
Right now, in the role of pen-pals, of course, but who knows where it could all take you once the lockdown is lifted and our life is back to normal.
Tinder
Tinder is a timeless classic when it comes to online dating apps. You might hate it, you might love it, but you definitely know about it. And so do millions of other singles around the world. Tinder is the most populated online dating app, which makes it perfect for finding someone – the possibilities are endless!
According to the recent data published by Tinder, during the lockdown, the app has gone through a record-breaking 3 billion swipes in just one weekend. Which is impressive, to say the least. But more importantly, it indicates that there is not a shortage of people using the app to pass their time and match with a couple of hotties.
Tinder is extremely easy to use and does not require you to have any expertise in online dating in order to wrap your head around the app. All you need to do is set up an account, upload a couple of attractive pics of yourself and write a compelling bio that would state who you are and what you are looking for.
However, there is another cool feature. Normally, Tinder’s Passport feature is paid and requires you to purchase the Tinder Gold version. But for the duration of the lockdown in the USA, till April 30, 2020, Tinder made it free for everyone! This means that all you need to do is download the latest version of Tinder and you are free to explore the whole new world of singles both close to you and thousands of miles away!
For now, it is just a great way of connecting with people from other countries to meet someone of a different culture to pass time chatting with, but if your bond grows stronger, perhaps, once coronavirus is over you will travel to meet them in real life!
Bumble
Bumble is yet another popular online dating app for meeting new people. It is suitable for both straight singles and those interested in same-sex relationships. The most exciting thing about Bumble is the fact that it has this vibe of ‘mystery’ and adventure to it. The reason for this is that you only have 24 hours for the woman to answer once a match is made (if you are interested in same-sex dating, anyone can message first). After that, the match disappears, so you better hurry!
What makes the app particularly useful in the realities of the lockdown is that it has an in-built video and voice calling feature. In fact, it has proven to be in demand during the quarantine times: according to the app’s data, there was a 31 percent increase in video calls over the past week.
There is no surprise in it. After all, video calls and voice calls can be a great alternative to going out for a couple of drinks in these challenging times. Moreover, it is safe since you can communicate through the app without giving your number to random people without getting to know them a little bit better first.
Match
Match is one of the oldest platforms for online dating. It is well-known in the scene and is proven to have an immense user base. This means that you can actually get lucky when trying to find someone fun to chat with and potentially date in the future!
Unlike the previous two apps, Match is a bit more serious. It is aimed at accommodating long-term relationships so it requires a tad more commitment and effort when creating an account. However, at the same time, it is just what you need if you are looking for someone special and want them to have particular traits. Match allows you to apply search filters to find the one!
During the quarantine, Match has also set up a hotline to help anyone struggling with working out how to use Match effectively.
What you need to remember, though, is that you need to be responsible when meeting people online, especially during the coronavirus outbreak. Even if you like the person you matched with a lot and want to meet up with them, postpone it till after the lockdown is lifted. First of all, it is not advised to break the rules of the quarantine. Secondly, you cannot be sure about who they had communicated with and where they had been to, and it is better to be safe than sorry.
What Does The Lockdown Mean For Your Love Life If You Are In A Relationship?
However, if you already are in a relationship, you are likely to find yourself in a situation very different from the one singles are currently in. First of all, congratulations, having someone to turn to for moral support and simply brighten up your days in the lockdown is already great luck! Especially if you and your boo are quarantined together. What else could you possibly wish? An ultimate bonding moment, indeed! Well, minus a couple of problems associated with being locked up with the same person for a prolonged amount of time without
However, not all of us are lucky enough to have been quarantined with our significant others. The reasons for this vary from one couple to another and can be as trivial or as complicated as possible. No judgment! Some people could not leave their parents without attention during the lockdown and had to move back to their hometown for the duration of the quarantine, while others simply were not yet at the required level of their relationship to move in together.
One way or another, if you and your lover are separated for the quarantine without there being an opportunity for you to meet up in the foreseeable future (remember, social distancing is extremely important and it is not recommended for you to interact with anyone who does not reside in the same household as you!), your relationship will undergo certain changes.
Until the lockdown is lifted, you and your significant other will have to give up physical contact for a bit and live by the rules of long-distance relationships. While it does sound confusing and even scary at first — after all, for a lot of people, it is the physical intimacy in particular that plays a large role in ensuring the relationship is full and functional, — in reality it is a challenge that a lot of couples will only benefit from being faced with. First of all, you will get a chance to put your relationship to a test and see how well you can manage the distance. Do not forget what they say: if it is real, it will only prosper. Besides, just think about the excitement of seeing each other for the first time after all of it is over!
In addition to that, you also need to remember that is not all that bad. Thankfully, we live in an era of technology with the world being as connected with each other as never before. This means, due to the worldwide availability of the internet and the numerous devices accessible to us, you will be able to stay in touch with your loved one and keep your relationship going! Even if for now it will all be in the virtual plane.
It is just that you need to remember that dating online requires a little bit of extra effort and creativity on your side. After all, this is all out of usual for you, and you need to find out about all the options available to you. You have nothing to worry about, though. Even before COVID-19 put our social lives on hold, there had been couples practicing long-distance relationships, and they were doing so successfully. This proves that it is, indeed, possible to have a happy and prosperous love life even if you and your boo are miles apart. You just need to take some of the most essential tips into consideration.
Communication Is Essential To Hacking The Lockdown
Control Your Emotions
The first thing that you need to remember about dating during the lockdown is the fact that it can be mentally challenging. It is okay to be upset and confused, after all, we are currently undergoing a serious pandemic that has shattered the lives of thousands of people already. You do not have to be cheerful and full of optimism at all times. It is absolutely normal to be down from time to time. Nonetheless, you also need to be fully aware of the fact that there is no one to blame for this situation.
Thus, the next time you feel frustrated and angry because of not being able to leave your house, do not go hard on your significant other and pick on them just because you are not in the best of moods. Think carefully before you say something and by any means avoid causing drama simply because you are bored. It is not worth it, and will probably escalate into a major argument since all of us are kind of aggravated at the moment.
At the same time, do not bottle your feelings up, if you are feeling a little bit out of place, talk to your significant other about this. They are sure things will be there for you to listen to your concerns and help you out.
Do Not Make Communication A Chore
This one is not particularly necessary to happen to all couples, but it is a widespread problem that long-distance couples tend to have. When you do not have a way to see your lover over an extended period of time, it can feel like you need to be at least texting them all the time.
If you adopt that mindset, you will quickly start feeling like communicating with each other is a chore rather than a nice thing that both of you enjoy. Therefore, it is important that you just both discuss your boundaries and do not expect to be sending messages back and forth all the time. Do not stress out if your significant other is taking their time to reply to your texts. Unless it is actually something important, and not a hundredth meme in the last couple of hours, it is okay for your boyfriend or girlfriend to not be messaging back immediately.
Keep your communication light and serene, this is something that needs to be distracting you from the dread of coronavirus, and just is a fun part of your day!
Do Not Hesitate To Ask Questions
Being in the lockdown with the amount of human communication being limited to the people in your house can be quite challenging and provoke some unwanted thoughts. A lot of people are reporting suffering from ‘coronavirus depression’, which is basically sadness and low moods from being in the lockdown. Because of how much pressure we all are currently under and how much free time we have on our hands, it can be easy to slip into some obsessive patterns.
For instance, you may start overthinking unnecessary amounts, and little things that normally do not have that much effect on you will start getting in your head. If one of such anxious thoughts is related to your relationship and makes you question whether it is even really that thing that the two of you have, do not hesitate to talk it through with your partner. Most likely, there are not any reasons for you to worry, and your partner will be able to reassure you of that if you voice your concerns.
If you do not, it can take a rather unpredictable and ugly turn. Keeping your true emotions and scares to yourself will have a noticeable effect on you and will leave your significant other confused wondering why you are behaving like that all of a sudden. There is absolutely no need for the two of you to be creating any emotional distance with there already being plenty of physical distance in place. What you need to do, on the other hand, is to use this time to get even closer to each other mentally!
Make Sure You Keep The Excitement Going
With both of you being locked up at your prospective houses, there really is not that much to do. So, inevitably, both your lives will boil down to a fairly simple and repetitive routine. Often, couples spend quite a lot of time discussing their lives and telling each other about what is happening to them.
Right now, when your fun things are limited to the perimeter of your house, it can be quite difficult to have a lot of exciting news to share about what is happening to you. Chances are, your timetable looks pretty much the same from day to day and includes a couple of meals, several snacks, a bit of remote work and loads of Netflix. Completely understandable! We all are guilty of that. However, this can be a bit of an issue when it comes to finding something to talk about to your significant other. After all, discussing what you had for breakfast is only fun for the first couple of times.
However, while quarantined, you can still find plenty of things to discuss and keep the momentum alive! What better time to learn something new about your loved one can you think of? Perhaps, a slightly altered game of 21 questions could get right into your casual conversation. While this does have a somewhat middle school vibe to it, it is definitely a fun way to get your conversation engaging and make your connection stronger.
Besides, you can also come up with a list of in-house things to try out for every day of the lockdown and start crossing them out of the list together. Each day try to do something different in order to have things to discuss. This could be virtually anything: a pretty challenging home workout (because, let’s be realistic, which one of us did not promise ourselves to get insanely fit over the lockdown) that you could rant to each other about, a cooking class, or even an Oscar-winning movie that you have not yet had a chance to watch.
Another idea is to organize a virtual dinner date with your loved one where you can set the table beautifully with candles, roses, a colorful dinnerware set to keep a romantic theme, and other decorations that you find appealing.
On top of that, you can also spend some time making plans for when this all is over and you will finally see each other for the first time in a while! Perhaps, there is something both of you are dying to do? Do not hold back, envision it and manifest it.
Cybersex Is The New Hot Trend Of 2020
Speaking of keeping the spark in your relationship, there is something else to do to ensure the two of you are excited and warmed up for when you next see each other in real life!
While this is not a piece of advice for everyone, if you are comfortable with it, sure thing take it and get the most out of it! While you, sadly, cannot be enjoying the benefits of physical intimacy with your loved person during these hard times, pun intended, you can surely try out a slightly different form of adult entertainment!
Sexting and other forms of online sex can be extremely hot, especially with such a large amount of different technological developments available to us. You can accommodate your level of naughtiness and appeal to your sexual desires. Just remember to be careful and only do that if you fully trust your partner!
Spice It Up With A Date Night
Something else to consider during the lockdown is the fact that you can still be going on dates. While now this term is a little bit twisted, since you are not actually going out, you can still get all glammed up and enjoy a nice evening together.
Doing this is extremely important! First of all, a large number of experts talk about the importance of trying to continue with your normal lifestyle as much as possible. It is understandable that a set of your favorite PJs can be very comfortable and you genuinely do appreciate the opportunity to not have to do your makeup and even go without washing your head for a bit longer than would normally be socially accepted. Nonetheless, you need to pull yourself together and act as a functional human being again! Not only that is good for your mental health, but can also be a great way to have some fun and surprise your boo!
After all, nothing breaks up the boredom like a fancy date from your living room! There is not much else to do, so why not make it classy? It is not very likely to end in a funky way since you are still apart and cannot actually touch each other, but for every other part of it, your online date will be exactly the same!
Zoom Or FaceTime: This Is The Question
With the imposition of the lockdown around the world, people have been turning to apps and programs that allow you to communicate over video more than ever before. It is likely that you would not have heard of Zoom just a couple of months ago unless your work uses it for virtual meetings. Nowadays, however, Zoom is one of the most downloaded apps in the world. In India, it has recently overcome TikTok, WhatsApp, and Instagram by the number of downloads! So, chances are, you are already familiar with the functionality of this app or at least have heard of it.
However, Zoom is helpful not only for a work meeting and online university lectures, but also, as it appears, for dates! It is great because of how easy it is to use. You can access Zoom from both your mobile devices, your tablet, your laptop or even your PC. The only thing that you need for your date to go well is a webcam and a mic.
If you are using Zoom on your laptop or personal computer, you do not even need to download the app, you can literally access a conference from the website. This is a big advantage Zoom has over a number of similar apps and programs for video communication. In order to set up a video chatroom, all you need to do is create an account on Zoom and host a meeting. It is advisable that you protect your meeting with a password so that you and your significant other could have some privacy and avoid being interrupted by random Zoomers.
The only thing with Zoom is that you need to pay for the premium version if you are intending to hold meetings that last longer than 40 minutes. Of course, you may simply restart your chatroom after the time is up, but if you do not want to bother, you might look into some alternatives.
The second best app for online video dates is FaceTime. If both you and your significant other are using Apple products, you already have the app on your phone and can instantly contact each other. It is free and has some fun features, too!
Some tips on how to make your video date more extra include:
- Dress up! Seriously, if anything it will be a fun story to be telling everyone once it all is over: ‘Remember that one time when we went full out just to stay in?’
- Order food to make it a dinner date. Thanks to the countless delivery services, we all can enjoy professionally cooked food even during the coronavirus lockdown. If you want to have an online dinner date, you may order food from the same restaurant and schedule the delivery for the same time so that it would look like you are actually together. Fun!
Netflix And Chill But Make It The Lockdown Style
Another date night activity that you can take advantage of during the lockdown is watching a movie together. Netflix and Chill if you wish, but at a distance.
There are different ways in which you can execute it depending on how creative you are. You may call each other via a video call app, and put a movie on so both of you could both watch the movie and each other’s face at the same time.
However, on a number of occasions, that would be quite difficult to pull off. Chances are, one of you will be a couple of seconds ahead of the other one in the movie, and could accidentally spoil it!
But do not worry, there is a solution to this problem. Thankfully, IT pros understand how much people love to share a good movie with their partner (or friends for that matter), so there are quite a lot of add-ons to install in order to enable the process!
One of the most popular browser extensions for Chrome, in particular, is Netflix Party. It has amassed over 8 million users already and only continues to get more and more popular. The reason for this is simple. This browser extension allows you to create so-called Netflix parties once installed. You can activate the extension by clicking the NP button at the top of your browser window and open any movie or series on Netflix. It will immediately generate a link for you that you can send to your partner to join the ‘party’.
By doing so, you will synchronize your shows effortlessly and even have a little pop-up chat window to be talking about what you are watching in real-time!
The Bottom Line
In conclusion, it can be said that the outbreak of coronavirus has changed the way we live and interact with others. Moreover, it has also clearly changed the way we date. Nonetheless, new does not mean worse. With some limitations and restrictions in action, it is still possible for us to develop our personal love stories and get our relationships nice and steady.
Thanks to technological developments, we are more prepared to communicate at a distance than ever before, which means we can both keep in touch with our loved ones if we already have a significant other or be looking for one if we are single!