【The Exotic Time Machine】

Spring is The Exotic Time Machinehere, vaccines are making their way into people's immune systems, and singles are starting to get out on the prowl again: Nature is healing.

But while the prospect of dating like "normal" is exciting, it can also result in FODA, or fear of dating again.

One reason for this is the hesitance to plunge into the unknown. None of us has lived through a pandemic before, thus "post-pandemic dating" is a big question mark in our brains. Even looking to dating after the 1918 pandemic, while fascinating, isn't really relevant; it's not like any flappers found love on a dating app in the 1920s.

While we can't predict the future, we at least have data to give us an idea of what might await us. Tinder has made some official predictions in their new The Future of Dating report, a rundown of member activity in 2020 — the app's busiest year to date — and what this behavior may say about dating moving forward.

First, Tinder predicts future dating will be more honest and authentic. Mentions of "anxiety" grew 31 percent last year, while "normalize" grew 15-fold. Last year, people became more comfortable opening up about what was really going on.

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Credit: tinder

In the same vein, daters will also be more up front about their boundaries. The word was up 19 percent in bios. At a time when hugging someone was considered a risky behavior, being open about one's comfort level became more paramount. Tinder has also seen that these small physical touches matter to users — mentions of hand-holding were up 22 percent.

We're all jonesing to hold someone's hand, but that doesn't mean we're going to jump right into relationships, according to Tinder. Our overall uncertainty has a ripple effect: More daters now than pre-pandemic want to "see where things go." That specific phrase was up 19 percent. In a recent Tinder survey, the number of users looking for "no particular type of relationship" was up almost 50 percent.

Tinder also predicts that digital dating — such as over Zoom or playing on Animal Crossing together — is here to stay, but for in-person connection, daters will always want someone close by.

Credit: tinder

And the time for in-person dating is coming. Nearly a third of daters told millennial/Gen Z insight company Ypulse that they wouldn't be comfortable dating in-person until there was a vaccine. Now there are three, Tinder users aren't afraid to show off their vax selfie or even their vaccination card. Unsurprisingly, mentions of "vaccine" soared 8 times since the start of the pandemic; mentions of "antibodies," 20 times.

SEE ALSO: All the best free dating sites for finding a serious relationship

We still have a ways to go before we hit herd immunity, but as more people become vaccinated and outdoor activities become a possibility again, the reality of post-pandemic dating is rapidly approaching. Here's hoping our FODA fades into a more authentic, fluid dating experience.

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