Opinion: In the modern era of dating apps and hookup culture, the dating scene on college campuses is anything but easy.
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We’ve all heard Tinder date horror stories, either from friends or social media. “He didn’t look anything like his profile.” “She had no personality.” “I didn’t know he had a child.” 

However, we can all agree on the most popular story: booty-call gone wrong. Tinder is infamous for these uncomfortable situations, whether it was miscommunicated intentions or just a bad hookup. Yet Tinder still maintains 75 million users, making it the most popular dating app worldwide.

Hookup culture has been widely adopted in recent years, especially among younger generations. Dating back to the release of “Animal House” in 1978 (ironic, right?), the “college experience” transitioned into a more carefree and party-centric narrative. Inevitably, this narrative glamorized the single life. Today, most college students prefer anything but commitment, causing hookup culture to rise in popularity.
Let me be clear in saying I am in no way judging the single life. Let your freak flag fly. But I must ask: If we know how chaotic dating apps are, why bother using them seriously? I’ll see the classic “Looking for something serious,” and I think to myself: “You’ve come to the wrong place, sir.” 

“Dating apps today are definitely used for hookup culture, and it depends on the perspective you’re looking at,” UO junior Michelle Nava said. “If you’re looking to find somebody, or if you’re looking  just to hook up, it’s really a hit-or-miss.”

However, there are students who end up meeting their significant other online. The more of these couples I met, the more I got to thinking: Are we just unlucky? Are dating apps ineffective, or are we just bad at using them?

I surveyed 51 students around the University of Oregon, asking where they met a past or current partner. I provided four options: a public place, school, mutual friends or online. Only 23.5% of the students said online compared to 41.2% who said at school.

So it’s true; dating apps can work. But is it worthwhile going on 10 bad dates to finally find someone you connect with?

Many college students prefer meeting love interests in person rather than online. Hannah Brown, a senior at UO, said, “If you’re trying to find a deeper connection, I feel like it’s better with one-on-one interaction, meeting someone spontaneously.” A study found that 25% of young men and women reported a greater feeling of closeness from face-to-face encounters compared to digital ones.

Maybe we all want to organically meet our future significant others. My family has some of the cutest love stories of all time. From high school sweethearts to meeting at Yosemite National Park, I find myself jealous. It’s a double-edged sword; half of me wants a “meet cute” while the other half would be too embarrassed to admit I met my future husband on Tinder.

Ultimately, the dating app scene must be transparent with intentions. At the current stage of our lives, dating apps are the perfect platform for only hooking up. The best strategy is to go in with an open mind and not expect anything serious to come out of it. Doing so will limit the tears and heartbreaks down the line. But if you’re looking for something special, it might be time to mute that Tinder profile.