Navigating Modern Romance Via Dating Apps Is Tough, With Pitfalls Like Fake Profiles And Harassment. While Genuine Connections Are Rare, Viral Relationship Tests Complicate Dating Further.
As a separated woman in her mid-40s, navigating modern romance via dating apps takes some getting used to. Unfortunately, most of the terrible things you've heard about dating apps are true—from fake profiles and bots to harassment and misogyny, it's not for the faint-hearted. While there are nice guys out there, finding them can be like wading through a swamp of frogs.
Meeting someone in person whom you connect with online is increasingly rare. Whether it’s due to our busy lives, a preference for screen communication, or the overwhelming choice of potential matches, making a genuine connection is tough. The chances are high that you will experience toxic behaviors like ghosting, breadcrumbing, orbiting, cobwebbing, and cookie jarring, leaving you staring at your phone in confusion.
Despite these challenges, I found love with an old friend, highlighting the rarity of organic relationships, especially in your 40s. Meeting a future partner organically is as rare as hens' teeth, especially one with good teeth, hair, and mental health.
Just when I thought I had escaped unscathed from the quicksand of dating apps, I encountered viral relationship tests. These TikTok challenges complicate relationships further, sometimes touching on age-old sexist stereotypes and acting as argument starters. The gold-digger test, for example, involves deceit to gauge if a woman is interested in a man only for his finances.
Other tests, like the bird test and the orange peel challenge, are less harmful but still questionable. The bird test checks if your partner responds to random observations, while the orange peel challenge asks them to peel an orange, supposedly indicating their suitability.
Last year's craze was the Barbie movie test, which used the film’s feminist message as a litmus test for a good partner. The Ketchup Challenge involves asking partners to clean up spilled ketchup, often highlighting practical skills in a humorous way.
There are many online relationship tests, but they are time-consuming and impractical. Relationships and dating are already tricky enough without adding these challenges.