The queen of dating apps, Tinder, has released an annual report revealing the most popular trends among users between the ages of 18 and 25. It's an interesting (and deeply fascinating) look at how sexual and romantic relationships evolve from generation to generation. Here are the trends that emerged from Tinder's Year in Swipe report. For many people 2022 was the year of the return to freedom. A year in which the digital relationships built during the pandemic could finally break free in real, physical life, at a concert, a party, or simply over a beer.
Dating trends: what to expect in 2023
In the dating universe, it is possible to make predictions about the future: what will be the dating trends in the coming year, and what will be new compared to 2022, according to tresearch by GoDateNow?
More people newly single
Just in connection with these recent years of high stress, there has been a high number of couples, married or not, who have ended their relationship. So we find ourselves now, and so will be in 2023, with more newly single men and single women dating online. These people have a different and new way of navigating these platforms because they are still learning and looking for their own space.
Greater distances
After the years of restrictions also a part of the surveyed population is still looking for new experiences, opportunities to move around and go out. According to Bumble, 33 percent of the surveyed daters say they are more open to distant relationships and acquaintances with people outside their city.
This trend is also due to the increase in smart-working jobs, and the typical tendency especially of the younger generations to give more priority to their own quality of life, also made up of rest and leisure, rather than work occupying most of their lives.
Balance
Another trend in 2023 is precisely the prospect of greater work-life balance, both for oneself and in the search for a partner. Romantic relationships will be a higher priority, as will the ability to better balance their respective jobs. 52 percent of respondents are actively creating more space in their lives for breaks and rest, while 54 percent care more about a better quality of life/work, rather than their partner's social status or career.
Fewer stereotypes
Many fears and clichés still exist in the dating and dating app universe, mainly due to stereotypes about how men and women should behave. It seems that by next year most men will reverse this trend, becoming more introspective about gender roles. As many as nearly 3 out of 4 men responded saying they have examined their own behavior in the past year.
Dating trends 2022
A new grammar of relationships, however, began to loom. And that, and so much more, is what Tinder's Year in Swipe report tells us about.
Below are the 10 dating trends of 2022 collected by the report.
#1. USED TO BE CALLED "FUCK BUDDY," TODAY SITUATIONSHIP
Somewhere between an official relationship and a friendship, the term situationship refers to a romantic relationship free of definitions or rules.
#2. BEING POSITIVE IS COOL
The parking lot emoji was the most used emoji on Tinder this year. But what does it mean? Well, it is used to let the world know what you are looking for: positivity and practicality.
#3. MEETING FOR DINNER IS OUT
Meeting up for drinks or dinner is out: activities such as "Let's go to the beach" (10%), "Picnic" (23%), and "Let's have coffee" (25%) are becoming increasingly popular, showing that formal dating is destined for a rapid decline.
#4. DRY DATING PHENOMENON: LESS ALCOHOL DOES NOT MEAN LESS FUN
And here we come to a huge change from previous generations: more and more young people prefer to avoid drinks and alcohol to come across as more authentic and better enjoy the moment. More than 25 percent of young people on Tinder admitted to drinking less than they did last year, while 72 percent of members stated on their Tinder profile that they do not drink or drink only occasionally. Dry dating, that is, not consuming alcohol during a date, is now a must.
#5. BUZZWORD: FUNNY, FRESH, AND FORWARD
A sense of humor seems to be the most valued quality in a potential Match, but good hygiene is also important, along with shared values and open-mindedness.
#6. SUPPORTING SOCIAL CAUSES IS A REAL ICEBREAKER
75% of Tinder members are looking for a partner who is committed to social issues: for young Italians, for example, the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community are paramount. A confirmation of Gen Z's interest in social and rights-related issues. This trend has also been renamed advodating.
#7. YES, BEING NOSTALGIC IS TRENDING
It may seem strange, but young people are inspired by trends from the 1990s and 2000s: 90's Kid, Anime, and Sneakers are in fact among the most popular interests on Tinder. Even the most popular song of 2022, "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush, is a hit from the past that is also back in vogue on Tinder.
#8. RED FLAG AND GASLIGHTING EMOJI ARE AMONG THE MOST WIDELY USED
Thanks to advice from psychologists and experts spread on social media, young people are increasingly prepared to distinguish the good, the bad and the ugly in relationships. More than half (58%) of respondents said they could easily identify a green or red flag in a potential Match, while gaslighting is now a well-known phenomenon.
#9. YAY: TRAVEL IS BACK TO BEING A PRIORITY
In 2022, Tinder users are finally back to traveling, free of restrictions or bans. Young people aged 18-25 on Tinder used the Passport feature an average of 9 times a month: in Italy, the most popular destinations were Milan, Rome and Florence.
#10. Passion Horoscope
Writing your zodiac sign in your profile is now a priority, along with preferences regarding smoking, pets and diet. Leo, Scorpio and Cancer were the most likely to include their sign in the bio, but it doesn't end there: most of the time the Matches happen between people of the same sign!
Written by Michael Zippo
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