Did you ever think you'd see the day when riding in cars with strangers, having dinner delivered to your doorstep, and the best one - finding Mr. Right through a little swipe on a dating app would be an actual thing? I’ve personally always wished that dating could revert back to the innocent old days of sitting in a booth talking about silly things and eating ice cream. Unfortunately that’s not the nature of first dates anymore. Dating apps are taking over the single world. Read more..Think about it. Do you remember when chatting with strangers online was considered an A-block headline on news? Is online dating actually a safe and effective place to find Mr. Right today? So many people are doing it - does that make it okay? I met my husband in college and when I tell people our story, it's usually interrupted by, "You guys are so lucky you found each other through real-life experiences." I never really know what to say to that. lol.I interviewed a couple of my close gal pals (who shall remain anonymous) to give us some deeper insight into the online dating universe. Now I can see why people do it in today’s busy, technologically driven world. It’s fast, easy, and you can do it from the comfort of your couch! Many of you may have mixed feelings about dating apps so I broke it down into the pros and cons. Oh and spoiler: I went ahead and left out the part where I pretend to be your mom and tell you to be safe sweetie and don't talk to strangers.PROS:1. It’s extremely entertaining - like The Bachelor. Some of the profiles on there…just wow. If you’re having a boring night on the couch, it’s a fun little pastime.2. You come across people you probably never would’ve imagined. That sometimes turns out to be a good thing.3. You can get to know the person a little before actually going on the first date. It cuts out the small talk and gives you a pretty good idea if a first date is worth your time.4. If you’re someone who can't see yourself going up to a cute boy in real life - this could be a great way to help build up that courage! Message them first, what’s the worst that could happen? ;)CONS:1. Just like in regular life, you run the risk of being rejected. Avoid high expectations..2. Killing your time. We all know how many hours can get lost when we’re on our phones! Swipe left, swipe right, four hours later…… What if Mr. Right was actually at your door-step and you missed the opportunity?3. You might experience a lot of really bad first dates before you find one that you enjoy. Mr. Right actually turns into Mr. Opps in person. He might have had the cutest profile picture, witty personality over text, and all of a sudden 3 weeks later you meet in person and it's a complete disaster. In other words, What the App happened to you?!! #WTA4. You question yourself. It’s rare that you’ll actually type your very first thought and click send. This can create a curated conversation, and that might not be the real you. Suddenly you're lost keeping up with the real you and the app you.Even though I’ve never actually tried a dating app, I am always fascinated by the stories friends tell me through their personal experiences. Some have found their husbands on dating apps and others have met their worst enemies.Whether you're swiping or not, I don't see the app world slowing down anytime soon. The hard fact is business is booming in the tech space and everyone wants a piece of it. I'm blown away by apps in general that have gone viral such as Instagram and even Kim Kardashian's app.Now I want to throw it out to you - Do you think Mr. Right is out there in the app universe? Are dating apps a complete waste of time? Share your thoughts.Until next time.. Xo, Saz
