With Covid restrictions in place for the majority of the last 14 months, many aspects of our day to day lives have been changed in a number of ways.
As someone who's been in a settled relationship for 10 years now, the ways that the pandemic has affected single people has been something I've often wondered about.
I have some friends who live alone, and I saw how the lockdowns affected their mental wellbeing. Spending day after day in isolation was difficult enough even for those of us living with partners and children, but for those who live alone I can't help but feel that it must have been even more distressing at times.
Living through a pandemic is an anxiety-inducing experience for many, so doing so without someone alongside you to help distract you from the bleak news updates or to cheer you up when it all gets too much must have been hard going at times...especially for those without good support networks.
Recently I've been wondering about how Covid restrictions have affected the dating scene. With nightclubs and bars closed across the country, and many people now working from home - surely this must have had an impact on the ways that people are meeting and dating potential partners.
A survey carried out by a popular dating app revealed that 2 in every 3 people were experiencing a heightened state of loneliness, and the pandemic also seemed to have increased people's desire for a long-term relationship with 43% of people stating that lockdowns had made them want something more serious in their love lives and an 18% increase in people putting more time and effort into their dating life during the restrictions.
One thing that has been invaluable throughout the lockdowns if, of course, dating apps.
There are dating apps to suit almost any type of person, with some dedicated to certain hobbies or lifestyles...one very popular website is gamerdates which allows those within the online gaming community to seek out singles with shared interests. A great idea in my opinion, as it gives common ground which means plenty to talk about from the get go!
Although dating apps were always popular even pre-pandemic, they have provided a much needed method of connecting with other singles through the restrictions and many users have found innovative ways to continue to date in a Covid-secure way during the pandemic including setting up virtual dates over video messaging services such as Zoom.
You can have short and informal coffee dates from the comfort of your home, more elaborate dinner dates or even gamer dates via online gaming services...all conducted over the internet with the benefit of knowing that you're not putting yourself at risk of catching the virus. And lets face it, this sort of dating offers protection and protection in other ways too!
Of course nothing could replace the intimacy and excitement of a face-to-face date, but it has to be said that technology has been a real gamechanger throughout the last year in so many ways. Long live dating apps!
If you enjoy my blog, please consider following me on Bloglovin'
