It’s hard to believe that it was around this time last year that the province of Wuhan in China was first in lockdown. We all remember reading about this strange COVID-19 and not being sure what would happen next. I don’t think anyone predicted where we would be twelve months later—or the way we’d feel about COVID-19 and dating.

Back in May 2020, we even talked about whether you should list your COVID-19 status on your dating profile. Here we are, back in a third lockdown (in the UK, at least). And you might wonder if you even can date during a pandemic.

People have tried. At New Year, plenty of people posted “The best part of 2020 was you” messages to their new significant others. 

But like it or not, COVID-19 has changed the way we date...and not necessarily for the worst. We wanted to check out how dating has evolved, and why you need to change your approach in 2021. Read on to find out what you need to do differently!

Step Outside Online Dating

I know this one sounds like a bit of a curveball. How can you meet someone if you’re not on a dating website? It’s not like you can meet someone in a bar or coffee shop when they’re all closed.

But more hobbies and classes have made the switch to online delivery. Zoom hit roughly 1.7 million daily active users in the UK in November 2020. Workshops you might not have been able to attend before became available online.

You have more opportunities than ever to meet people with similar interests and hobbies. You’re also not restricted to things going on in your immediate location. Meetup, Eventbrite, or Facebook offer events across the country.

Many classes have a chat function running throughout so you can talk to other attendees. Get involved in the conversation and who knows who you might meet? Chatting to people this way means you meet those who share similar values and interests. Your conversation also starts along those lines, instead of a drunken fumble in a club.

That said, online dating remains a simple way to talk to other singles. Check out our 5 steps to success using online dating.

Embrace Video Dates

Many dating apps added video calling functions during the first lockdown last year. Some people thought video dates were cheesy or awkward. They thought virtual dating would soon disappear.

But it still offers you a lot of interesting possibilities. You can have more in-depth conversations when you can see the other person. These virtual dates skip the usual disjointed back-and-forth texting.

It’s a lot easier to keep a video date short and to the point. You can have a simple coffee and a chat over Zoom. If you don’t feel a spark, you haven’t wasted a meeting on them. 

But if things go well? You can get creative! Cook the same meal and enjoy it at the same time—in your own home. Watch the same film on Netflix. Enjoy a virtual tour of an art gallery over Zoom.

Video calls also let you use your behavioural profiling skills on your date. See how interested he is in what he’s talking about by checking his blink rate! The slower the rate, the more interested he is.

What does he do with his hands? If you can see his hands and they’re open, it’s a good sign. But if he’s trying to slip his hands under his arms, or he’s protecting his chest, he could be anxious about something.

Don’t approach video dates as a chance to ‘catch him out’. Rather, use them as an opportunity to see the truth about them before you meet in person.

Don't Rush Into Anything

The real downside of COVID-19 comes when you want to meet up in person. The current UK lockdown restrictions make that hard. Your only legal option is meeting up outside for a socially distanced walk.

If you hit it off, you’re going to reach a point where a half-hour walk in the park isn’t enough. Do you feel comfortable kissing someone who may be asymptomatic? Is a new beau worth catching a virus for? Some people clearly thought so. They rushed to bring new partners into their social bubbles. Others even jumped into co-habiting. All just to get around the restrictions.

Luckily, you don’t need to feel you need to rush into anything. COVID-19 actually gives you the perfect excuse to slow the whole dating process down. It’s given everyone a chance to figure out what they actually want. Get really clear on the type of relationship you want and look for someone who wants the same thing.

Behavioural scientist Logan Ury found Hinge users spend longer getting to know people. Conversations have replaced the usual jumping from person to person. Because we’re chatting to people for longer before we meet, we invest in them more. The first meeting feels more important because of that investment. It’s made dating less of a ‘throwaway’ culture than it had been before.

Communication is fundamental here. You both need to know where you stand, if you’re seeing other people, and what you want the next step to be. And you’re asking because you want to avoid a lethal virus! It’s natural to ask these questions to keep yourself safe. But being able to communicate at this stage is also a great sign for the future.

COVID-19 and Dating: It's All About Connection

Ultimately, COVID-19 has made dating logistically more difficult. Yet the restrictions have also forced people to be more intentional about dating. The obstacles put off many casual daters, making it easier to find those who want a relationship.

Virtual dates give you the chance to scope out a potential for connection. They also give you the chance to maintain some privacy until you feel safe meeting the other person.

There’s no substitute for being in each other’s company. But you can still forge an emotional connection. You can do so through shared activities online, virtual dates, or socially distanced walks. 

In fact, we’re so enthusiastic about the power of a loving relationship and connection that we have created a webinar where you can learn how to have a loving relationship that lasts. 

Click the button below now to reserve your spot.