Would you have believed it If, at the beginning of 2020, someone had told you that you may have to resort to online dating as a way of connecting to your better half or potential love interest?
Thanks to the novel coronavirus pandemic and its resultant effect of quarantines and lockdowns, we are all being forced to learn how to date without physical presence or touch.
Pre-coronavirus, texting someone to set up date was fine, but calling a person, let alone video-chatting before a date, was tiptoeing toward creepy.
But what does virtual dating mean? Virtual dating relies on connecting with others over dating apps or networks and trying to start a romance from there. Texts, photos, and what have you usually help to build the tempo but video calls serve as what some singles term a “vibe check.” Video calls allow you to gauge chemistry in a context beyond text banter.
There is an awkward intimacy to video dates; they are in your bedroom but you can’t touch. Below are some realities to setting up a date via video.
Bonding
It can either go well or things go south quickly. Having a video date allows you to test your bond with the other party and allows for intimacy while still maintaining your distance. It is one of two things, you can both talk till someone has to log off because of low battery or you both fall asleep.
From your date’s background, you can tell certain things about them from the get-go. Is their room messy or their bed is well made?
Cost Effective
The coronavirus pandemic has brought with it a lot of economic uncertainties so having a virtual date is a plus for you. You don’t need to impress your date by snagging a reservation to the trendiest restaurant in town. You don’t also need to raid your closet for your trendiest clothes and the best part is, you don’t even need to be in the same town for your date to hold.
Little Distractions
Another plus to virtual dating is that both of you can give your full attention to each other without the usual distractions at a bar or restaurant: a television blaring overhead, or a bartender who’s cuter than your date.
This may not work so easily if you don’t stay alone so ensure that you have total privacy before your date begins (especially if your date is R-rated). Our digital dating tip: Put on headphones and make sure you’re in a room with a door that locks.
Don’t forget to plan
Just because the date is taking place in the comfort of your home over a laptop or phone screen does not mean that you can afford to skip the planning process. Before your Skype, Zoom or Facetime date, it is advisable to clean up the corner where you plan to use. It is also advisable to choose a backdrop that represents your personality. It’s a bit like creating a good dating profile. A writer might sit in front of his bookshelf, or a musician might set up with her record collection right behind her.
Whatever you do, don’t show up looking tacky
There is that danger of not making an effort with your appearance for a virtual date. Resist the urge to Skype from the bed, which feels like a hookup situation. Drink out of a nice glass, not the broken one your ex gifted you. It is not a bad idea to smell nice as well even though your date can’t smell you.
