In this day and age, we do everything on our phones. Whether it be navigation, money exchange or communication, we are a society centered around technology. It only makes sense, then, that dating is now shifting to the digital realm. Dating apps are becoming more and more prominent on college campuses, leading the majority of students to this pressing question: to download or not to download?

While dating applications have differing features, most center around the same structure. The user creates a profile with pictures and a short bio, and then their profile is presented to others who can swipe right, which means they’re interested, or left, which means they’re not. While they are doing this, the other user is doing the same, and if two people swipe right on each other, the app lets them know that they’re a match. While the most popular dating app, Tinder, lets either party message the other once they’ve matched. Bumble, another app on the rise, only lets the girl message first. From there, the user can decide if they want to keep talking and eventually meet up.

There are a variety of reasons why NYU students find this system beneficial.

“Dating apps just broaden the pool of people you can encounter,” Gallatin sophomore Lorean Cassidy said. “But also narrows it down because you can judge based off what you’re looking for.”

Cassidy met her boyfriend of almost a year on Tinder, and therefore believes that dating apps can be successful in introducing users to great people outside of NYU.

She also spoke to how apps allow you to filter through people based off interests. “I liked the ‘Meninist’ page on facebook because Tinder shows common interests and if they shared that interest than it was an automatic swipe left,” Cassidy said.

Tisch sophomore Zach Sherman also views dating apps as his preferred method of meeting others.

“Dating apps are cool,” Sherman said. “I’m definitely more likely to meet up with someone from an app than to ask someone out that I meet in class or something, just because there’s no risk of having it be weird if we just don’t work.”

While there are many advantages to using apps like Tinder and Bumble, they certainly aren’t for everyone. Steinhardt freshman Annie Lemanski said using social media makes the interactions seem forced.

“I think if you find someone then it shouldn’t be like a survey,” Lemanski said. “It’s too artificial, and it’s also really dangerous.”

Additionally, Lemanski said that dating apps filter people based off of their looks, which contributes to societal pressure that apps like Instagram already place on people to have the perfect picture and the best profile.

While downloading dating apps may expand your dating pool and introduce you to people at NYU you would never normally meet, do not feel pressured to participate if you’re not comfortable. If you do choose to meet someone through an app, be safe and aware of your surroundings, and make sure a friend always knows where you are.

Email Tyler Crews at [email protected].