Picture yourself at a friend’s wedding in the next five years. We know, we can’t believe we’re at that age either. The newlywed couple is brimming with happiness and it’s a day filled with a love that’s been building for years. How did they meet you ask? All thanks to sliding in the DM’s. It sounds just as weird as if they would have swiped right.
How is it that those small but calculated movements on the internet have bled into our lives IRL? Whether it’s the impact of your online presence in the business world or your expression of creativity through your feed, there’s one more avenue of utilizing social media we have yet to delve further into— the dating app aspect of Instagram.
Think about all of those times you liked someone’s photo all the while thinking that this was you shooting your shot. Or if you’ve viewed someone’s story within five minutes of them posting, wondering whether they think you’re obsessed with them. Yes, we’ve all been there. And yes, they’re probably obsessed with you. And yes, this is why Instagram is the best dating app out there.
Your feed is a reflection of you. Plain and simple. Whatever aesthetic you go for, whether you’re trying to achieve one or not, pictures speak a thousand words. And your interactions with your friends in the comment section speak a million. But while dating apps offer mind-numbing prompts and a limited amount of photos that can be displayed on your profile, there are no rules when it comes to Instagram dating. You’re able to see in a partner what you wouldn’t get on Tinder, Bumble or any other dating app trying to break into the college scene.
Whether they’re posting Almost Friday edits or the latest song they’re obsessed with, there are just some things you can’t learn about a person through a dating app. So instead of wondering which one is the guy you’re actually talking to in the dreaded group photo, do yourself a favor and skip the extra step: take it to Instagram.
These other actual dating apps are more ideal in the sense that it takes the guesswork out of online dating— you like someone, you swipe and it’s pretty plain and simple. But it laid the groundwork for this same mentality to be taken across platforms. With sliding in the dm’s becoming one of the most popular ways that people are able to date and meet nowadays, it makes dating that much more casual yet equally as confusing. Trust us, it’s as brutal out here as you think it is and Instagram isn’t entirely to blame.
But is it Instagram’s fault for these changes in online and in-person dating patterns? Or is there a more tangible answer we just don’t know of yet? While we’re not complaining about this unspoken feature of Instagram, there are more benefits than drawbacks when it comes to Instagram dating.
VALLEY thinks sliding in the DM’s is hot. It shows confidence and assertiveness, among other things that are severely lacking in our dating scene nowadays. You can’t say you would be more impressed with someone swiping right to get your attention rather than reaching out to you personally on an app you use every day. It lets them know that you’re to be taken more seriously than simply liking their story and hoping they’re thinking about you too. And even once you get to the actual relationship that you’ve been pining over, there’s that next step in your relationship— will it be a soft or hard launch?
Do us all a favor and just choose a hard launch (we’re begging). It seems stupid and although the “private but not a secret” aesthetic is definitely the most appealing, it’s also an exciting step in your relationship to show your partner you want the world to know that they’re an important part of your life (*blushing*).
As complicated as dating is nowadays, what with the easy access to stalk an ex or overthink virtually every online move your crush makes, there’s no denying there’s a third wheel in your relationship. Instagram is the other woman, the wing woman and your own personal FBI database all in one. The question is, whether or not you choose to utilize it yourself.
Make sure to give @valleymag a follow on Instagram and see for yourself how to Instagram date and take your online crush IRL.
