Life
If you're worried about meeting someone and think online dating just may not be for you, it turns out, there may be a lot of different ways people find romantic partners today — and there are plenty of options if you're not having any luck on dating apps or sites. As much as it can feel like everything happens online today, a new survey about dating from technology company ReportLinker, a technology company showed that the internet or dating apps weren't at the top of the list when it comes to where people in relationships met their significant other.
The company surveyed over 550 respondents, ages 18-64, who were married or in a relationship, to find out how people were meeting today. Real-life options seemed to be the preferred way of meeting people versus online — and it makes total sense.
"The biggest advantage to meeting potential dates in real life is getting to experience their vibe right away, which is something no online dating platform can deliver," Thomas Edwards, founder of The Professional Wingman, tells Bustle. "This increases your odds of making good choices on who to go on a date with. There's no better way to gauge attraction and chemistry than to be physically present with someone."
If you're feeling stressed about dating, don't be afraid to branch out and try something new. "Diversify your dating approach," Clarissa Silva, behavioral scientist and author of the relationship blog, You’re Just A Dumbass, tells Bustle. "Don't just rely on the typical dating apps as the only methods of meeting someone. That will create online dating fatigue quickly. To mitigate those feelings of fatigue and frustration, diversifying your approach can actually maximize your efforts to find love. Include in your strategy both online and offline, because love is a complicated process and has no formula. We can't create the exact 'when' and 'where.' We just have to be there."
Take a look at the survey results below. As you'll see, we're meeting people in a lot of different ways today.
1
Through Friends: 39%
Even though we're all addicted to our phones, digital dating didn't take the top spot. Instead, meeting through friends still remains the number one way to meet someone in 2018.
Thirty-nine percent of people surveyed had met their partner through a friend, so it may be time to get out there and have a friend introduce you their friend.
2
At Work: 15%
Work relationships always sound terrifying for me, but it was the second most popular way to meet people — with 15 percent meeting their significant other through work.
3
At Bars And Other Public Areas: 12%
So 12 percent met in a bar (which sounds reasonable) or at "other public areas," which sounds... interesting. But perhaps beaches, parks, and meet-cutes fit the bill on this one.
4
At Sport/Religion/Hobby Events: 9%
I love this category because it's so damn broad — nine percent of people met their partners at church or a stamp-collecting club or at the U.S. Open for Gymnastics. OK, maybe not exactly those, but it's definitely a real range of options between sport, religion, and hobbies.
5
On The Internet And Dating Apps: 8%
All the way down here at number five, only eight percent of people met through a dating app or online.
6
Through Family: 7%
As much as you may not want your family involved in your love life, for seven percent of people, they helped them find their partner.
7
School: 6%
Some of those high school and college sweethearts really do go the distance — six percent met their other half that way.
8
Speed Dating: 1%
Last and not least (OK, actually it is least) speed dating came in at number eight. And it may only be one percent, but that means people are still forming real relationships through speed dating — so don't knock it until you try it.
If you thought you were tied to your dating apps for life, think again. There are so many different ways to meet people, so don't be afraid to get out there and diversify your dating approach.
