I first started dating actively in the wake of the pandemic. After months of being cooped up, it was time to do the exact opposite with the dating equivalent of revenge travelling. I spent most of my free time on dating apps, curiously swiping right on anyone I found remotely interesting.
Following a match, the steps were simple. First, determine that we have common topics; second, make sure they’re not creepy; finally, arrange a date. Rise and repeat for the next person till someone sticks around. A couple years later, and this cycle runs itself on autopilot.
Valerie Tang, a 29-year-old engineer, does the same. “When I’m bored, I start swiping mindlessly, then I end up juggling too many [dates] at one go. The most I’ve been on was five dates, five days in a row, with five different people.”
However, this results in “half-assing” her dates, and, due to fatigue, hitting pause on dating altogether until boredom
