Taking away the stigma of online dating is Tinder, a dating app where users decide in seconds if someone is attractive or not with a smile swipe left or right.
Tinder is a social networking app for the Android and iPhone that connects users based on geographical location. The app is connected to Facebook and users have a small biography with a few pictures to market themselves.
Users can choose to swipe right for yes and left for no, the sample of people being based off of age, gender and location preferences set by the user. If two people swipe yes for one another, then a match has been made and they can choose to start a conversation.
“I thought it was a great idea,” said junior Keith Sands. “It is like eHarmony but for our generation. I only use it for fun, though. I swipe everyone right and see who swipes back.”
Keith said he uses Tinder about three times a week, and has never met anyone from the app face to face.  He finds it best to use when traveling to a new place for track meets because he likes to see who is in the area.
“I’ll ask what someone’s thoughts on Bigfoot are,” said senior Nick Gornick. “Or I make up scenarios that aren’t happening. One time I told a girl I lived on a farm and my cow was dying. She gave me the number for a vet.”
Tinder offers relative anonymity since it won’t give the user anyone whom they are already Facebook friends with and it only uses first names. Users can say virtually whatever they want to a match with the comfort of knowing they will never see them in person and can easily unmatch them.
Junior Emily Johnson originally took Tinder more seriously, having recently been in an eight month relationship after meeting someone from the app.
“I tried to use it to find nice guys,” said Johnson. “But I have come to the realization that that isn’t possible. The guys seem nice at first and then I realize that they are not what I thought they were. Tinder gives us another way to communicate behind a screen where we feel comfortable. It makes dating a game.”
“I don’t think anyone really uses it seriously,” said Gornick. “I do know people in the city who have hooked up with people they have met off of Tinder though.”
Tinder allows for easy one night stands and since the user is meeting people outside of their social circle it takes away the fear of running into the person the next morning on campus. The app also takes away the fear of rejection since all the user sees is who swiped right on them.
“I think that hooking up is a big thing,” said Sand. “Tinder is a tool for that, so it is helping out the hook up culture. It is easy and it is all face value.”