Tinder Dating App

AUSTIN - In the realm of dating, is it true that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover? What about the story you hear from a friend when she swears that her boyfriend was “love at first sight”?

But can the feeling of “love at first sight” come from simply viewing a picture on Facebook?

A new dating application for the iPhone has hit the University of Texas at Austin campus. This matchmaking application, called Tinder, uses your location to find singles within a 100-mile radius of yourself.

Perhaps some students may find their classes more exciting if they are matched with someone who is sitting in their same classroom. Maybe even the dark-haired cutie in the seat behind them.

But the question is, is this app a path to true romance or is it just a silly form of entertainment?

“Of course I have the app, almost everyone in my sorority does,” said Katharine Painter, a freshman at the University of Texas.

Painter explained that she downloaded the app and uses it from time to time, but does not have the expectation of finding a boyfriend by using it.

The creators of Tinder describe the application as “a fun way to break the ice”. The application description is: “Tinder finds out who likes you nearby, and connects you with them if you’re also interested. It’s all anonymous until someone you like, likes you back.”

By connecting with your Facebook account, the application pulls your profile picture, mutual friends, and interests and sets up your “dating profile”. Users then have the ability to like, or dislike you, solely based on this information.

Just by appearance, users decide if that particular person is compatible with them.

The idea seems surprisingly shallow.

However, most 18-24 year-olds are likely to base their relationships partly on looks. But are “looks” themselves enough to account for the chemistry between two people?

“It isn’t like those embarrassing dating websites and it is becoming popular on the UT campus,” said Lee Younger, a Tinder app promoter on campus. “It’s a great way to meet new people and maybe find that special someone.”

Being a college student herself, Younger mentioned how overwhelming dating has been in college compared to high school.

“There are so many guys to choose from. Tinder allows me to get matched with people whom are also interested in me.” She explained “Tinder narrows my field.”

But how would a student who has never used the app feel about its effectiveness?

“It seems far fetched and doesn’t seem like a good way to meet people,” said Doug Waters, also a freshman at UT.

Waters chuckled and added that he meets people by flirting or going to his classes.

Are college students really using this app as a way to find that special someone, or is it just a self-esteem booster to know that the users that you have liked have also liked you back?

“It gives me a confidence boost every time that my phone gives me the notification that I have a new match,” said Sarah Richardson, also a freshman at UT.

Richardson added that she doesn’t use the application seriously and that she just enjoys getting the random alert that someone liked her back.

Once you have been matched with someone on Tinder, you have an option of chatting with them in the application’s private chat rooms. This is where the application allows interaction between the two matches to find out more about each other.

“I have actually had some decent conversations in the chat rooms. I have met some seemingly sweet boys. One of them even asked me on a date and I am considering going out with him,” said Caroline Hall, also a student at UT.

But some boys have a different perspective on the correct usage of the application.

“I just use the chat rooms to mess around with girls. Being silly is entertaining,” said Matthew Furrow, also a freshman at UT. “Its fun because I can chat with people I don’t know, and whom I probably won’t ever meet.”

It seems that very few students have found this application helpful in finding a mate, however the majority of them report having fun while using the app. Whether it is effective or not, the unusual way that the application works has caused many college students to download it making the application very profitable.

Tinder may not become as famous as eHarmony, but according to some students it has become acceptable and encouraged to use as a young adult dating option.

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