By Don Le
April 20, 2020
With the coronavirus pandemic causing not just massive health and economic problems around the world, it’s also prevented us from one of our most important yet unspoken needs: human interaction. To fill the need for companionship during the worst disease outbreak of modern times, college students at San Jose State University and around the world have the option to use online dating apps to find someone to talk to and possibly connect with after the lifting of the government-mandated lockdown.
Tran Ha, pharmaceutical junior at University of the Pacific, believes there is a big difference between online dating prior to the quarantine compared to right now is timing and mentality.
“I think because everyone is stuck inside, dating apps become a way to fill that void, to pass the time. Also, because people can’t physically be close to each other or see their friends, meeting people through online dating during this time seems appealing,” said Ha.
She admits that she has been using the dating apps on her phone more often since the quarantine was put in place on March 19.
“I think mostly because it seemed interesting and I was bored and my friend suggested I try to start at least talking to guys again in a “dating” sense,” said Ha.
Ha believes it is possible to find a lover during this era of social distancing.
“This whole-time quarantining on your own can increase your relationship with yourself and maybe put some effort into conversation with the other party. Because you can’t physically be close to one another, you have to rely on conversation and that in turn can help emotionally connect to one another – forming a deeper bond that can result in love.”
Kaitlynn Truong, marketing senior at SJSU, also believes it is possible to find love during these trying times “because during crazy times people will always find a way to fall in love. Feelings will always find a way to overcome hard times.”
While some, like Vivian Dang, sociology junior at SJSU, might be skeptical that you cannot find a significant other without an in-person meeting.
“It’s less likely because it’s not like anyone can really meet up in person,” said Dang over Facebook Messenger. “Everyone’s just talking about how bored they are so no one’s that interesting at the moment.”
Dang said she too has been using Tinder since quarantine started “but it’s more just talking than dates because quarantine.”
But she said she would be willing to do a date over webcam if a potential suiter requested her to do so.
“I would say yes because it’s better than going out during quarantine plus it’s a cute idea,” Dang said
Truong concurs and would happily meet up with her dates through video calling.
“Yes, I think it is cute and a fun way to pass by time. In a way, it says a lot about a person if they are willing to host a webcam date to get to know me,” said Truong. “It is much more meaningful to me if they rather hear my voice than read my text.”
Webcams would be needed in a long-distance relationship and with dating apps giving out free access to match with users from other countries, it will be made even more popular.
Tinder, arguably the biggest online dating app on the App Store, has incentivized users to open the app during the quarantine period with Tinder Passport, a feature that allows people to match not just with people in their area, but around the world through April 30th, according to their website.
Ha says she’s already matched with people from other states.
“With Tinder Passport being free for the time being, I have used it to try to match with people in Boston, MA just for fun,” said Ha.
She admits it the experience “hasn’t been much different from if I’m trying to match with people in the Bay Area.”
For others that are still looking for companionship in the local San Jose area, video calls can still be used in creative ways to go on “dates” with her matches:
By “door dashing each other food and eating it with each other over facetime, playing games, bonding over facetime while talking to each other for hours”, Truong is not letting the pandemic stop her from socializing with others.
“It is fun to talk to people for fun and getting to know people,” said Truong.
Ha continues to use dating apps, such as Tinder, because she “prefers emotional connections over physical attraction (even though both are important in finding relationships).”
“I myself am pretty independent and do not need to see my significant other on a daily basis, so that is what makes it possible for me to go periods of time without seeing the other person,” said Ha.
Dang herself is ambivalent to finding connections or relationships of any kind; she is blunt about her reasoning for being on the app.
“I’m really bored,” said Dang.
Don Le's Portfolio 