Why dating during lockdown could be the beginning of your love story
Featured in BARE Dating, 2021
So, you're single, it's lockdown and you have found yourself stuck at home. You’ve cleaned just about every nook and cranny of your flat, or room (if you house-share) and you’re boreddd.
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Or you are working from home and you are beginning to miss all of the physical interaction and banter that comes from working in an office environment?
Well, this could be the P-E-R-F-E-C-T opportunity for you to try out the wonderful world of online dating and online dating is probably the best, if not the only option to ‘meet’ someone during this lockdown period.
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You can also see this time as an opportunity to further develop your dating experience in the best possible way! Whatever your past experiences may be, you can turn it into something positive and you could even call this the start of your perfect love story.
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Dating during a lockdown could help ease the pressure of dating, especially if you’re new to online dating or the dating scene in general, as you will not be able to meet the person you’re speaking to right away; therefore, you’ll actually have more time to get to know each other the old-fashioned way, where you spend more time chatting to one another and take your time to get to know someone before jumping in deep.
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Some of the many advantages of dating during a lockdown
You have time to think about whether or not you really like the person you’re dating instead of just jumping straight into something more serious, or straight into bed with them.
You get to consider what boundaries you may or may not want to create with this person and it’ll be much easier to implement them when there is a physical distance between you both.
You’ll have more time to share what makes you happy and learn more about the things which makes them happy too.
It’s easier to be honest and open about how you feel, whether this is on the phone or through text.
Unlike a first date, you will be dating at a distance so this will help to filter out the f**kboys, i.e the ones who think it’s a good idea to send a d*ick pic as the first message. We’ve all been there, and this is NOT COOL.
You will hopefully find that it’s easier to meet the ones who are good listeners, share their feelings and are not into games but is also up for a good time - whatever that looks like to you. These qualities will be pretty easy to identify when all you can do is message or video chat.
You could also exercise some self-discipline, granted, you may not have a choice to stay at home during lock-down, but you could still say no to sending nudes or s*x-timing, at least at the beginning and this is especially a good idea if you’re interested in something more long-term.
On the other hand, if some short-term fun is what you’re are looking for, then you could also use this period as an opportunity to step-up your sexting game, find some tips here for sexting beginners.
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But how do you actually date during a lockdown?
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Well, dating during lockdown is largely going to come down to using your verbal communication skills, so if this is not one of your strongest areas, then it’ll be a great opportunity to develop them during this time. Rest assured, these skills will not go to waste, as communication skills are in fact one of the most fundamental elements to any relationship, whether that be romantic or not, they’re excellent skills to have.
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One of the ways in which you could incorporate your date into your life during a lockdown is if you are working from home and have regular meetings via video call, then you could integrate your date into your working schedule, this will make your working day a little more exciting too.
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For example, you could meet at lunchtime via Zoom or Facetime, and the same applies for dinner. You could also simply have a date where you have a glass of wine and a chat or have some fun with it by making some quarantinis (a fun spin on martinis, only you can make it your own creation).
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During a lockdown, you could use this time to focus on getting to know the person you’re speaking to, it could help you to really listen, be more open and attentive.
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You can do this by asking some interesting and open-ended questions, such as;
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
What is your source of motivation in life?
What was your favourite childhood memory?
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These questions will really encourage openness and they will ensure there is depth to the conversations you’re having. When there is more meaning to the conversations, this will keep them going for longer.
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You may find that during this period you’re more committed to the person you’re speaking to because your motivation is to eventually meet them. You’ll find yourself thinking about this person in the morning and before bed at night, you will be wrapped up by the mystery of who this person is.
It will be like going back to the times where writing letters to one another was the norm and where everything that is said actually counts for something, it has more meaning.
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Something to be mindful of, however, is that you will need to make more of an effort during this time to ensure the fire doesn’t die down, as you won’t be able to see one another you will need to keep that person enticed through both your writing and video conversations, but no doubt it’ll be worth it in the long run.
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If you have just started speaking to someone online via messaging and you’re still getting to know each other, you could organise an online date in order to test the waters. The first milestone could be a phone call and if this goes well, then follow this with a video call. Simply see what you’re comfortable with and do not rush anything. After all, you are in lockdown for the foreseeable future. 😉
If things are going well, then maybe you could even progress and move on to some sexting, if this feels natural, of course.
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This approach to lockdown dating could establish a good foundation for your future physical date, whenever that might be. Until you’re able to see each other in person, you will need to find some alternative options for your dates, so I have created a list for you below.
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Lockdown dating ideas
Organise a speed dating session on Zoom or Skype. If you have been speaking to several people online, then you could organise your own speed dating session… Line them up, give each date a 30-minute slot, you can dress up, to both look and feel sexy, pour yourself a glass of vino or a make a quarantini and get dating.
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You could have a two-person ‘Netflix Party’ Yes, this is a thing and Netflix have taken their Netflix and Chill to a whole new level with this idea. You can watch a movie with one another, as well as chat on the screen at the same time.
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Organise a Facetime, Skype or Zoom date.
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Send a few Snapchap pics, perhaps a few cheeky ones, revealing a sexy part of your body.
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If you’re both readers, then you could organise a ‘book club for two’. You can check in with one another at a specific time every day to discuss the book. You could even choose an erotic novel, which would spice things up and naturally lead to some sexy conversations.
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If you’re a bit of a gamer, then you could play against your date on the Playstation or Xbox - this will bring out the competitive side of you both.
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You could learn an instrument together via video chat and if you already know how to play something, even better, you could teach them! Or you might want to serenade them with a song or two.
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However you decide to do it, have some fun with dating online as it really is an opportune time to get to know someone, it will also bring some fun and excitement to your day-to-day during lockdown.
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The power is all in your hands and you can take control of when you want to pick things up with the person you’re speaking to. So why not use this time to invest in yourself and your dating journey, many people will be in the same boat during lockdown and that will also be a great conversation starter too.
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If you have any other online date suggestions, then I’d love to hear them, so please add them in the comments below 😊
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Happy dating x