Even though it only takes a few swipes to get a date, dating has probably never been more difficult. There are a lot of theories on TikTok about finding your soulmate, such as the "meet people twice theory," and to look out because random people may be contacting you on Duolingo or LinkedIn. To help cut through the noise, we reached out to our sources who reached out to apps and experts about what daters can expect for the rest of the year.
The #1 topic for daters in 2024 is "slowmance." The app defines this as dating more consciously by slowing down the pace, as well as establishing boundaries and setting intentions. Setting clear intentions has been a dating trend since lockdown ended, likely caused by literal and figurative existential feelings at the start of the pandemic. Some folks rushed into things because of this as well, but we've seen fast breakups as a result. So, lockdown-era courtship could be here to stay, at least for some people.
Dating icks are all the rage on TikTok, but at least some daters are sick of them. In a survey of more than 2,700 U.S. adults, 67 percent believed people need to move past surface-level "icks" and embrace others for who they are.
Icks can be viewed as "red flags," and according to Tinder's "Green Flag Study," some users mistake green flags for red ones. According to Tinder, there is a "presumptions epidemic" in which individuals, regardless of gender, presume one another's desires without establishing a personal connection.
Our sources predict that this year and in the coming years, IRL dating will come back. Otherwise, we will notice a trend of people prioritizing their own well being instead of finding a partner. Especially if they just went through a breakup or other major life change, folks are "dating themselves" instead.