Get ready, get set, swipe

Much has changed over the past decade with the genesis of smartphones. The heavy influence of the internet has transformed the romantic college experience, particularly in how students communicate. The days of phone calls and letter writing are fading and being replaced with swipes, matches, and potential meetups.

Tinder, one of the more popular apps for students to start their romantic experiences.

First-year Mary Smith shared why she thinks people use Tinder.

“I am not a fan of Tinder at all,” Smith said. “The majority of my friends look to Tinder as more of a joke. More than anything people who use Tinder are probably looking for someone to hook up with. I actually know people who make joke Tinders just to mess with people.”

For Smith and her friends, Tinder is an app for giggles and laughs, rather than for actually meeting people. She expressed discomfort toward the app when used to meet others.

“I don’t think online dating is the way to go,” Smith said. “It is a looks-based dating website, which makes me uncomfortable because there is much more to a person than their profile picture and that can be so deceiving.”

On Tuesday, Feb. 13, University Ministry held their monthly Spirituality is Served on the topic of Tinder, titled Beyond Swiping and Hookups: Dating and Relationships. Maureen K. Day, an assistant professor at the Franciscan School of Theology, presented a brief lesson on various romantic traditions of previous generations through a sociological and theological lens. She ended with an emphasis on the particular quickness of the current romantic culture brought on by Tinder.

Day made clear she had no moral objections with the current romantic state, but encouraged students to think about and understand it. In an effort to do so herself, she spoke on the pros and cons of Tinder.

“It accommodates a busy lifestyle,” said Day. “Everyone is busy right now. It prevents people from being socially isolated. Whereas they might say, ‘I am too busy to get out there.’ It provides a way to meet people. What it risks is judging someone very quickly, because it is so quick. It encourages a dating mindset where we are moving too quickly. We are throwing away people who we would have otherwise enjoyed.”

Tinder is a location-based social app, allowing students to search for a potential mate near them.

After Day’s presentation, she gave a few personal thoughts on how best to use Tinder and navigate the current romantic culture.

“I would encourage people to be honest,” said Day. “The fear and anxiety of rejection is increasing. The one thing to do is to be very clear with your feeling.”

Although Smith uses the dating app as a form of entertainment with her friends, she acknowledged that some may want no part of it at all.

“From my experience, the Tinder culture is not that big,” Smith said. “And, if a person does have a Tinder they are usually pretty embarassed about it and don’t want to admit they have it.”

First-year Gianna Peterson echoed Smith’s sentiment.

“I don’t think I would have ever downloaded (Tinder) without my friends,” Peterson said. “I feel like it’s a place where people find who they think are attractive. And I think that’s why nothing comes out from it because there is no substance … It’s not a serious way of actually meeting someone. When you choose someone from their looks you don’t know anything about them.”

Peterson concluded with the pitfalls of Tinder, one being the potential for app users to create façades for themselves in order to get a match.

“It is really easy to talk to someone online,” Peterson said. “You can totally make up a story for yourself or whatever you want. I don’t think it’s the same as finding someone in real life or from pre-established friendship.”

Peterson mentioned one of the negative aspects that comes with Tinder is the confidence users gain from hiding behind a screen as opposed to interpersonal interactions.

“Most conversation-starting messages I’ve received on Tinder are normally flirtatious compliments and stuff,” Peterson said. “Things people would never say to someone the first time they were having a conversation in real life, people act way more straight forward. I get messages like, ‘You’re hot’ or have guys straight up ask for nudes.”

Junior and Tinder user Andy Caton offered a different take on Tinder, with a more positive perspective.

“I think (Tinder) plays a role in meeting up,” Caton said. “(It) keeps things more casual, generally. It aids the casual atmosphere because most people who are on there aren’t looking for something serious.”

For Caton, users of Tinder seemed to be on the same page in their romantic interests — wanting a more casual meet up.

“I’d say it’s a good place to meet people,” Caton said.

Views regarding Tinder vary across college campuses throughout the the United States, much like the ones given by USD students. Some stories are tragically comical, some tremble worthy, and others beautifully sentimental.

Tinder, like any technology, remains simply a tool, in which results reflect its users and context. The burden of a romantic relationship still remains on the people it involves, whether love messages are sent through cursive letters, landline telephone calls, or swipes on Tinder.