【】
Folks, we're nearly halfway through 2022. I know — some days, it feels like we're stuck in 2020 purgatory. But no, that's merely our "new normal," if anything about the current state of the world could be called normal.
For two years, change has upended every aspect of life, including dating. Both 2020 and 2021 made way for an unprecedented slow-down, causing us to connect with others in new ways (like virtual dates) while also taking time to self-reflect. The result…isn't half bad, actually. Here are this year's dating trends so far, according to experts.
Prime Day deals you can shop right now
Products available for purchase here through affiliate links are selected by our merchandising team. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.iRobot Roomba Combo i3+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum and Mop—$329.99(List Price $599.99)
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet—$178.99(List Price $219.99)
Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case—$189.99(List Price $249.00)
Eero 6 Dual-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (Router + 2 Extenders)—$149.99(List Price $199.99)
Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS, 41mm, Midnight, S/M, Sports Band)—$299.00(List Price $399.00)
Choose your priority
The pandemic forced us all to reevaluate our priorities. This isn't a new revelation: From coming outto breaking up, COVID's figurative or literal jolt to our systems made us rethink what we really want in life.
"What was important to us two, three years ago simply isn't anymore," said OkCupid's associate director of global communications, Michael Kaye.
Considering all we've been through in the past two years even beyond the pandemic — like the threat to reproductive rights— we're less concerned about superficial qualities like looks, and more concerned about values like where a date stands on climate change, Kaye explained.
"What was important to us two, three years ago simply isn't anymore."
During the brunt of quarantine especially, many of us had the space to reflect on who we are and what we want, perhaps for the first time in our lives. This caused daters to be both more honest and intentionalwhen meeting new people.
Before COVID, dating coach and eharmony relationship expert Laurel House's clients had a laundry list of traits they wanted in a partner. Now, people are homing in on what really matters to them.
House calls this shift "prioridating." She encourages her clients to go after a single priority with potential partners. This can be anything, but one House sees a lot is safety, whether physically, emotionally, or financially.
Prioridating is one of the year's big dating trends.Credit: Vicky Leta / MashableThis trend aligns with the data, as well. Eighty-six percent of singles want a partner of equal or higher income, according to Match's latest Singles in America, a survey of 5,000 Americans aged 18 to 75. This is a jump from 70 percent who wanted the same back in 2019.
Shallow desires, meanwhile, are on the decline: More singles (83 percent) want an emotionally mature partner rather than someone physically attractive (78 percent) according to the same survey.
"Many [daters] are looking for someone who inspires them to be their best selves," Kaye said. "Someone they are proud to date. It's less about superficial characteristics and more about those deeper, more meaningful traits."
Increased vulnerability and mindfulness
Prioridating engenders the next trend: an increase in openness. This increased communication (or want for such) has occurred since 2020, when we had to be honest about our COVID preferences. Daters found themselves having deeper conversationsquicker amid the pandemic. We didn't have time for small talk or situationships; we got down to the nitty gritty. This is still true in 2022.
"People are having these real scary — historically scary — conversations," House said. "Now it's not scary because now it's like, 'Well, I know me. I know my needs. I'm confidently, vulnerably, unapologetically aware of my needs.'"
In an interview at the end of 2021, Hinge's director of relationship science, Logan Ury, called this trend "hardballing": being upfront about what you want out of dating. This can look like, say, telling your first date that you want kids someday and asking them what they want.
SEE ALSO:How to start dating again after a breakIn addition to vulnerability, prioridating is supported by mindfulness while dating. House suggests checking in with yourself while on dates. If your priority is safety, for example, and someone makes fun of a vulnerability, check in at that moment. House modeled how the thought process can look: "Does that make me feel safe? It doesn't. OK, well, what am I going to do with that information? Either I'm going to say 'thank you, goodbye,'" she said, "or I'm going to voice my priority and make it clear what my priority is."
While you may want to know if your date wants kids someday, it's not necessary to project into the future and dream up your whole life together now. Knowing you have the same beliefs and goals is valuable information, but you can focus on this one date, this one moment.
Virtual dates haven't gone anywhere
Another trend House noticed traces back to earlier in the pandemic: phone and video dates. These virtual dates have entered some people's repertoire, especially if they still don't feel safe dating in person. Another reason people may do this, House said, is saving time and money (getting ready, commuting, sitting there on the date).
"Now people are much more protective…of their time," she said.
If people are comfortable meeting in-person but still want to be close to home, House has noticed people having more dates at a nearby park or even in their backyard or patio if they have one.
When meeting IRL isn't an option, try a video date.Credit: Bob Al-Greene/MashableSober (curious) dating on the rise
Given the rise in alcohol consumptionduring the pandemic, more people are now sober curious, a concept of limiting drinking but not going completely sober. This is in tandem with a rise of zero-proof mocktails. This has led to a rise in sober (curious) datingas well.
In 2022, daters are more mindful about their drinking: 74 percent of single daters restricted their alcohol use in the last year, according to eharmony's 2022 Happiness Index, a survey of 3,000 adults over 21. A whopping 94 percent said "they'd be interested in someone who doesn't drink at all."
SEE ALSO:How to date while sober (curious)Like other facets of life, some people may have realized alcohol isn't a priority anymore, so they've chosen to be sober (or curious, anyway).
Given these trends, House is optimistic about relationships. She believes this slower, more intentional dating will lead to longer relationships and marriages. The pandemic disrupted everything — but in terms of dating, it actually may have been for the better.
相关文章
Fyvush Finkel, Emmy winner for 'Picket Fences,' dies at 93
NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Fyvush Finkel, the plastic-faced Emmy Award-winning character actor whos2024-11-10- 曼城前瞻 :藍月衝歐冠主場連勝神跡 丁丁迎裏程碑_葡萄牙_葡萄牙體育_歐聯www.ty42.com 日期:2022-03-09 13:31:00| 評論(已有334313條評論)2024-11-10
- 巴黎患上軟骨症 !6年內3遭大逆轉 金錢換不來氣質_歐冠_決賽_賽季www.ty42.com 日期:2022-03-10 21:01:00| 評論(已有334598條評論)2024-11-10
- 青島體育局副局長調研青島海牛 盛讚代表青島足球希望_青島萊西市委書記市長等多人被處分_矯曙光_城市www.ty42.com 日期:2022-03-11 11:01:00| 評論(已有334688條評論2024-11-10
Airbnb activates disaster response site for Louisiana flooding
Airbnb has activated its disaster response page following the record-breaking flooding in Louisiana.2024-11-10- 揭秘王珊珊加盟北京女足 前亞洲足球小姐牽線_中國女足_賽季_比賽www.ty42.com 日期:2022-03-10 13:01:00| 評論(已有334526條評論)2024-11-10
最新评论