- Making Friends On Dating Apps For Teens
- Making Friends On Dating Apps For Beginners
- Making Friends On Dating Apps
Badoo.com – Mainly a dating website. REAL U – Doesn't have many users. RendezWho – More of a game than an app for making friends. Shapr – An app like tinder, but for networking/making friends. Since the last update, you have to pay to specify your location. Friender – Few users and reported to have technical issues. Trying to find some new friends? New kid on campus and looking to make the most of your college experience? Tinder U's got you covered. Tinder isn't your average dating site — it's the most diverse dating app, where adults of all backgrounds and experiences are invited to make connections, memories, and everything in between.
In most Asian countries, the words, ‘dating apps' still carry the social stigma of being something to avoid. However, the younger generations of said countries are beginning to move away from such a characterization.
I for one, used to be on a dating site known as OkCupid. Many of you are probably scoffing at the name but I have to say despite its corny name, it was definitely one of the better apps that I have been on.
That, however, did not prevent me from hiding my existence on it from my peers. It was probably due to the fact that signing up for dating apps is perceived as something only people desperate for love or hook ups would do and no one would buy my reason of wanting to meet more people.
I was pleasantly mistaken.
Over the time that I have spent on these sites, I have came to realize that I was not the only one who joined it with the intention of meeting new people and expanding my social circle. In fact, you would be surprised at the amount of people who joined dating apps just to make friends. Do not be taken aback when you read blurbs on profile which expressly forbid any romantic advances.
Also read:[Impressive] Dating app Paktor hooks up 250,000 singles in just 2 weeks.
After that entire introduction, this moves us back to the core of this article; is making friends on such apps truly possible?
The answer is yes.
For all you cynics out there, I am pretty psyched to rub it in your face that I have met friends from dating apps and we have maintained a completely platonic relationship in all the years that we have known each other.
From meeting chefs to graphic designers to chemists, the list of people that I have met and the stories that I have heard just goes on and on.
I was pleasantly surprised when I met someone who graduated in a degree that I intend to pursue from a university that I had my eyes set on. The poor soul never had the time to recover from the barrage of questions that assaulted her. In return, she regaled me with stories of how she once got completely hammered and threw up in the Jack O' Lantern pumpkin her roommate carved for Halloween.
I heard more stories like how another friend I met through OkCupid learnt to walk backwards up a hill and had gelato at four in the morning while backpacking through Rome.
In addition to those mentioned above, I have actually kept in contact with someone from a dating site for four years. You would be surprised to learn that we Whatsapp each other on a daily basis, except on days where we annoy each other. I blame those occurrences on her age (she is five years older than me) but she blames it on me being a spoilt brat. We agree to disagree.
To cut the long story short, she has been a pretty good friend to me over the past few years and I would be hard press to meet her through traditional means since she hails from Sarawak while I remain entrenched in Kuala Lumpur.
At the end of the day, it is difficult to say that dating apps are reserved solely for singles (although some of them not as single as they claim) who crave company. In our rapidly growing world, it is increasingly difficult to meet people from our everyday life that may be on the same wavelength as us.
If meeting people alone is difficult, imagine actually forging a bond that lasts? It has been tough since we first stepped into kindergarten and growing up does not make it easier with life pressure and personal motives getting in the way.
I guess in one way or another, urbanization has played a part in increasing the popularity of dating apps whether it may be to score dates or meet pals. Rapid urbanization of nations have somewhat caused its societies to fragment into smaller units, like family units, which rarely venture out of their comfort zone to challenge themselves or as Malaysians would put it: they have adopted the ‘takpe' (don't care) attitude and could care less to find out more about that quiet co-worker that recently joined the company or the new family that just moved in next door.
Thus, it is hardly surprising that the younger generation, or also known as Generation Y, would resort to online means to meet new people. It seems expected given their familiarity and ease with technology, coupled with the accessibility of dating apps for free.
So, to all you naysayers out there, give dating apps a go. You might even surprise yourself. Though it always healthy to keep in mind that the warning against strangers on the Internet ring true for a certain reason.
Also read: 7 creepiest dating apps of all time
When you move to a new city, especially as an adult, making friends may not be as easy as it once was. But, the good news? There are apps to help you make friends in a new city. After all, you're no longer getting assigned to a dorm room and to a roommate who will become your BFF for life; you're no longer in classes with people who will become your friends through a group project; and you're no longer in the city you grew up in, where you know everyone, everywhere. And if you work from home and/or freelance, you may not meet people as often as someone who works in a social office setting. So apps make the perfect making-new-friends companion, and all at the tap of a phone icon or few. Plus, if you and a potential friend end up not clicking, just like with dating apps, there will be other friend options available, so all is not lost.
While some social networking friend apps are geared toward group activities, others are focused on getting to know someone, aka your future friend(s), through one-on-one chats while still others match you in groups of three. Whatever the case may be, there probably is the right friend app out there for you, as long as you take the time to download some and give them a legit try. The best news is, the users seem vetted, so unlike taking your chances with a person who 'looks nice' that you meet out and about, the friend-focused apps promote a certain level of safety within them. Plus, they can save you time, as well as help you out if you're not the type of person to strike up conversations with random people IRL.
Here are seven apps to help you make friends in a new city, because the more outlets, the better.
Whether you're a workaholic and don't have much free time outside of the office to go to events to befriend people or you just want a new way of meeting people, PlusOne Social may be the app for you. Just like it sounds, you can find a 'plus one' so you don't have to have dinner alone — again — or someone to go on that hike you've been meaning to try. The app also sends you 20 friend suggestions every day, like having your very own friend curator.
And, yes, some apps that aren't dating apps subtly fall into that category, but with this app, you can specify that you're just looking for friends, so no need to have an awkward convo down the line if someone misunderstands your intentions on the app. In addition, you decide who can contact you on the app, so it's not a messaging free-for-all. You can also suggest an activity for people to join, which will help ensure that you're doing activities you love.
The app is currently available in the Bay Area in California, and will launch in Los Angeles and New York in the next few weeks.
PlusOne Social is free on iOS and Android.
When you are new to a city, or traveling to a new one for a week or two, Skout enables you to meet people all over the world. Safety first: You get to decide if, and when, you want to connect with someone. Whether you want a gym buddy or someone to meet for coffee this weekend, you can do as much 'Skouting' as you'd like to find the ideal people, i.e., your soon-to-be friends. Even if you want someone to meet up with in an hour, or a few minutes, the app lets you know who's nearby, which is another bonus. You can also see who viewed your profile and then connect with them... or not.
Skout is free and subscription-based, starting at $9.99, on iOS and Android.
There's a 'Tinder for moms' out there called Peanut. The prerequisite? Yep, being a mom! What a great idea, though, right? Moms can see what fellow moms they think they'll click with and start swiping —up to wave, i.e., like, and down if maybe later. Mutual waves then result in a match. Photos are pulled from Facebook so you can see how close, proximity-wise, your new mom friend is located. Moms do not have to share info about their kids on the app, since not everyone's into doing so, and can wait till they meet moms IRL first.
Moms using the app can also choose descriptors to describe themselves, such as 'Geek chic' or 'Fitness fiend.' Clever! Once moms start to match, they can message with another mom one-on-one or do a group chat to make plans, complete with the capability to suggest meetup times and create invites right through the app. Plus, fun fact: Peanut's Co-Founder and Chief Executive, Michelle Kennedy, is not only a mom herself, but also the former deputy CEO of the dating app Badoo and was on the board of Bumble — the latter of which she named, according to the Los Angeles Times.
To date, Peanut has launched in London, NYC, Dallas, Chicago, LA, and San Francisco, but I'm guessing more cities will be added.
Making Friends On Dating Apps For Teens
Peanut is free on iOS and Android.
By using MeetMe, you can find people nearby to meet up with, so you could be checking out a new record store alone one minute, and with a new MeetMe friend the next. Of course, you can also plan an outing more in advance with others who share your interests, from going to see a new band to attending a yoga class together.
MeetMe is free on iOS, Android, and Windows 10.
However, MeetMe+ is their premium subscription service, which starts at $9.99 per month (and less per month if you sign up for 3 or 6 months).
You probably know all about Bumble as a dating app, wherein women make the first move in heterosexual pairings, but did you know you can use it to find friends, too? Yep, with Bumble BFF, you can... and will! The great thing about Bumble is that the app gets right to the point — once you match with someone, you have 24 hours to contact them, or else (hint: you can pay for features to extend this time frame). In turn, the person has 24 hours to respond. Nothing like a deadline to get you motivated to message, then meet, right? I met my last boyfriend on Bumble and we dated for a year, so I have a lot of faith in Bumble BFF, too. When you're in your Bumble's settings, you can decide if you want to look for potential dates, just BFFs, Bumble Bizz (their new networking feature), or 'everyone.' Genius!
Bumble is free on iOS and Android, but subscription packages are available if you'd like additional features.
If you want to use a friend-making app that doesn't match you up with one person, but with two others, We3 (formerly Me3) may be the one. The app stresses that it's not for dating, which I personally find very refreshing, because, let's face it, we don't need any awkwardness or weird tension when downloading a 'friend' app. How does it work? We3 promotes meeting friends of the same gender, and in groups of three, your 'tribe.' As for profiles, they're private unless you've matched with somebody, and the app's algorithm helps with that — they say that more than 150 factors help determine who you get matched with. Once you start matching with potential friends, you'll see what interests and beliefs you have in common, and you can go from there. To help get to know those interests, before the app matches you to people, you answer short quizzes about yourself (is anyone else thinking of OKC's questions right now, or is it just me?). But We3's quizzes also have another purpose — to help you learn more about yourself, so it's a win-win.
We3 is free on iOS and Android.
Making Friends On Dating Apps For Beginners
If you live in New York and are seeking new friends, GoFindFriends may be the app for you. When users register, they set up profiles (i.e., with photos and activities they'd like to do). Then, the platform uses an algorithm to match users with potential friends, based on people's personalities and interests and voilà — a new friend is made… or several! People can browse others' profiles, as well, and you can chat one-on-one or in groups. GoFindFriends also has a calendar of events online, from seeing Star Wars in Concert at Lincoln Center to meeting up to watch the Columbus Day Parade. Fun! The only caveat? The app is limited to people in their 20s and 30s.
GoFindFriends is free on iOS.
Making Friends On Dating Apps
OK, the next time you say you have no one to go to 'x' or 'y' event with, think again and download one of the above apps. You never know!
