Dating During COVID

Let’s face it, COVID has really thrown a spanner in the works when it comes to dating. Not only has lockdown made it a lot harder to meet someone organically when you are out and about – that is, when we have been allowed out and about – but social distancing measures have prevented us from mingling with anyone other than friends and family. We have spent time with family and friends when we can, and rest of the time indoors baking banana bread, binging Netflix and trying to master a new hobby. COVID put a stop to bars and restaurants, and a stop to a lot of dating and meeting new people. The pandemic has not been kind to those who are looking for a relationship, but things are starting to look up.

Tips for Dating During COVID

Get Creative With Dates – Though lockdown restrictions and social distancing measures are slowly easing, it could be a while before everything is back to normal. Thankfully, that doesn’t need to put a stop to dating altogether. By getting creative with your date activities, you can enjoy meeting new people and potentially meet your perfect match during COVID. If you are not able to sit inside a busy restaurant, head to the park for a romantic picnic. If you want to avoid large crowds, book a table outside a quiet bar for drinks in the city. If you’re not able to attend a concert or theatre performance, take a look for an outdoor event. Though COVID may limit your date plans somewhat, it doesn’t rule them out completely and there are plenty of COVID friendly options.

Be Selective – At Project 143, we place a lot of emphasis on handpicking people to match you with and this is even more important amidst COVID. With many of us wanting to mingle with fewer people, carefully selecting who you date and where you go is paramount. Rather than going on a date because an algorithm says you should, we choose your matches based on you as an individual and what you are looking for. Of course, this doesn’t mean being too picky and not giving people a chance. Rather than wasting your time and energy on someone who you know isn’t right for you, you can focus your attention on those with genuine potential.

Give Remote Dating a Go – If you have been looking to date during COVID, you will know that meeting remotely is hugely popular. With the pandemic going on, many singletons turned to remote dating and this isn’t something that will go away when lockdown ends. Though there are downsides of conducting a date via Skype, FaceTime or Zoom – it’s hard to look your best when your camera freezes and we all know the struggles of an audio delay – it’s a good way to find out if you get on. If you have a lot to talk about and the conversation flows, think about going out on a ‘real’ date when you are able to. If there is no spark and awkward silences aplenty, you won’t have wasted an evening finding out.

Get Back Out There

Like many people, you may have let dating take a back seat during COVID and rightly so. Simply, there were more important things to worry about. However, now is the time to get back out there and dust off those dating outfits. With the world opening up again, there has never been a better time to give dating your all. With Project 143, help is at hand and you won’t be doing it alone.

With lockdown – slowly, but surely – coming to an end, you can afford to make dating a priority again. That doesn’t mean you have to throw yourself back in at the deep end and download a tonne of dating apps, but putting some feelers out there and showing willingness to meet your match can make a huge difference. Though dating during COVID may be daunting and a little out of your ‘new normal’ comfort zone, it’s certainly worth it in the end.