Romeo and Juliet, while in their teen years, found each other in a span of three to four days and had an epic (yet tragic) romance. Meanwhile, college students have trouble getting a text back after months of knowing each other—a classic modern tale.

If social media were a thing back in the Shakespearean days, would Romeo and Juliet have been the way they were? Would Paris still have invaded Troy for Helen? Would Penelope really have waited that long for Odysseus to come back? Maybe, but it would be rare. 

Both social media and dating have changed over the decades, causing humans to change with them. Social media grew from instant messenger to Snapchat, going as far as Instagram DMs. From there, it became easier for people to communicate, for better and for worse. It became easier to access the kind of interaction you want quickly through social media, especially with the prevalence of hookup culture. In college, hookup culture is almost expected with most people you meet, whether you encounter them at a social function or on a dating app.

Dating apps are hubs for people who either want a relationship or want 

something casual with someone. It’s not impossible to find love online, but with the different mix of people all searching for different types of connections, there’s not an abundance of pure relationships forming because no one wants the same thing. This is especially true for people between the ages of 18 and 23, as they are in the era of life where they want to be free and irresponsible.

With the complications and confusion they may cause, the main question to ask oneself is whether or not dating apps are worth using to find love in college. 

Dating apps and finding love through social media not only make it hard to find a pure connection, but it’s also extremely rare. Pure relationships start with a look and a conversation, whether that be at a bar, in a classroom or anywhere people interact with each other. The genuine connections that can only be made in person are the main aspect of love that is missing in campus romances.

You could text someone and have a nice conversation, and then feel like there’s something lacking when you meet them in person. This is not only applicable to physical attraction, but chemistry, banter and general interest too. 

Another con of dating apps is the expectations and limitations that social media can bring to a romantic situation. Expecting everyone to either only want a hookup or only want a committed relationship can lead to disappointment for all parties.

There is stigma surrounding online matches that makes the idea less desirable. Social media sets beauty standards for all genders that seem both unrealistic and unreasonable, which can limit someone’s taste in a person. Dating apps cause people to prioritize looks over everything else. If you expect people to look a certain way that is unattainable for most, you might miss a good connection.

Dating apps and social media might have killed love on college campuses, but that doesn’t mean meeting someone you authentically like is a hopeless journey. Finding love can be as easy as a tap on the shoulder or a simple greeting, but 

sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of that fact when you’re clouded by the idea of online dating.