It’s official, the dating apps are dead.
In fact, if TikTok and my most recent findings are anything to go by, they will be sent into outer space with barely a bon voyage. RIP you carpal-tunnel-inducing app of false promises.
You see, all I heard over the holiday season were friends whinging and complaining about dating app fatigue and how no one looks like they do in their heavily filtered shots. How their personalities never match their text banter. How often they get stood up, ghosted or cancelled on at the last minute. And one quick scroll of TikTok will tell you the same thing.
There’s video after video of people bidding adieu to the dating apps of 2023 – not to make a return in 2024. Gen Zs are deleting their Tinders, scrapping their Bumbles and choofing off their Hinges.
Sure they provided some weddings, but for every wedding they also provided a hundred million bad date stories. Some even making the news.
‘2024 is the year of the ‘meet-cute’. A popular new dating term that’s used in films or television shows as an amusing or adorable first encounter between two characters,’ Jana said
Now blame it on the annual resurgence of the famous Christmas movie ‘The Holiday’ or a simple desperation to get back to the good ol’ days BA (before apps) but singletons like myself are now choosing a far better way to date. And the results don’t lie.
Yep, I’m telling you 2024 is the year of the ‘meet-cute’. A popular new dating term that’s used in films or television shows as an amusing or adorable first encounter between two characters that leads to the development of a romantic relationship.
In the last couple of years, I’ve had way more success from a ‘meet-cute’ situation compared to dating apps.
Take for example, the time my newly single friend decided to host a lunch and instructed all us, his single friends, to bring another single friend. The single guys brought their single guy friends, the single girls brought their single girlfriends, and it was a raging success. Two couples went on to date after that lunch and one couple are now even engaged.
‘Over Christmas I went to lunch at the local pub – planned by friend who just happened to invite ALL singletons. Guess what, it was another raging success. I met a very cute farmer who I smooched near the taxi rank,’ Jana said
Over Christmas I went to lunch at the local pub – planned by friend who just happened to invite ALL singletons. Guess what, it was another raging success. I met a very cute farmer who I smooched near the taxi rank (I know, slightly cringe!) and two of my girlfriends landed themselves dates.
It was like I had stepped straight back into 90s style dating. You know, when you would take a fancy to a guy on the dancefloor and one of your friends would ‘accidentally’ push you into him? The original ‘swipe right.’
There’s something glorious about waking up the next day with fond memories of flirting with someone in a bar. Making eyes. Seeing if they make eyes back at you. The anticipation of them asking for your number. If the night is a real success, even a quick fondle before you jump in a taxi. Or better yet, they jump in with you.
Oh meet-cutes are just the best!
‘Okay, so confession. One night, after quite a few wines, I decided it would be a good idea to order some business cards online with my number on it to give to handsome strangers,’ Jana said
That being said, it’s also quite natural to feel slightly overwhelmed by the idea of meeting someone in real life once again. Oh, how we took great comfort hiding behind the screens of our tiny phones. But you see, you don’t have to launch yourself into a bar full of strangers and force the closest hottie to make eyes with you. Good lord, you need balls of steels to do that. Or at least a jug of margaritas.
No, no. Meet-cutes can be pre-arranged. Simply ask your coupled up friends to bring their single friends along to the next BBQ, or pub catch up, or dinner. There’s no pressure of a tedious blind date, because you can just pass it off as a catch up between old and new friends. If the singletons there hit it off, hurrah big success. If they don’t it’s no big deal. There will always be another pub outing, another BBQ, another divorcee to play with.
But if you are keen to get your meet-cute happening pronto I’ve come up with fairly successful methods to meeting someone in real life:
‘Two of my girlfriends landed themselves dates,’ Jana said of the same lunch
1. Go out places that your ‘type’ is most likely to visit. E.g. if you prefer hot tradies, go to the local pub. If you prefer banker types, why not swing by a fancy wine bar?
2. Use friends as your super-power. Ask them to invite other single friends they know to the next event. Ask them if their partners know any single friends they could set you up with. Ask them if there are any cute singles at there work. Friends who can play cupid (and give you a good reference) really are worth their weight in gold.
3. Make cheeky business cards with your number. Okay, so confession. One night, after quite a few wines, I decided it would be a good idea to order some business cards online with my number on it to give to handsome strangers next time I was out. You know, like they used to do in 90s rom-coms. ‘Hey, take my business card. Let’s chat’. Here’s an example of the cards that came in the mail a week later. Have I ever worked up the courage to use them? Not yet, but I plan to!
And listen, if you’re not quite ready to head back out into the real world again, then perhaps do what my last date did. Slide into the ol’ DMs. At least Instagram profiles provide us with a far better background check then the potential catfishes swimming around the apps.
Now go out there and be brave! Your libido may very well thank you for it!
Michael Johnson is a tech enthusiast with a passion for all things digital. His articles cover the latest technological innovations, from artificial intelligence to consumer gadgets, providing readers with a glimpse into the future of technology.
