2023 saw several dating trends wiggle their way into our lexicon. From the empowering (‘masterdating’, ‘goblin-tamacy’), to the no-so-empowering (spider-webbing, anyone?), quippy portmanteaus for novel approaches to our love lives reigned supreme last year.
Now as we go boldly into the 2024 dating world, trend forecasters are predicting what our love lives will look like this year. And let’s just say, the slightly-out-there dating trends of 2023 are this year being replaced with a much more straightforward approach. In 2024, it’s all about remembering the human element of dating, and focusing on the happiness of those right at the heart of it: people like you.
Speaking at GLAMOUR’s Empowerment Summit for the panel ‘Me, Myself, and I When Dating: Empowering and Discovering Yourself Through Relationships’ powered by Tinder, Paul C. Brunson, Tinder’s Expert in Relationship Insights, explained how Gen Z are refreshing dating standards. According to Tinder’s research, Gen Z’s approach to dating – valuing meaningful connections and authenticity in relationships, with none of the time-wasting – is leading the dating renaissance.
An orange a day keeps the doctor away?
When Tinder was first released in 2012, 18-25 year olds were millennials who were, unbeknownst to them, to grow up in the golden age of dating apps, which transformed the way we made connections almost overnight. Now, Gen Z are today’s 18-25 year olds, and times have changed. These digital natives are craving something more fluid, meaningful and self-aware than traditional dating norms and conventional labels. In fact, 75% of young singles believe their generation is challenging the dating and relationship standards. One of the main ways they’re doing this? An ‘all or nothing’ mindset.
“The ‘all or nothing’ dating trend has emerged as Gen Z is ushering in a new era of dating that values meaningful connections and overall well-being, above all else,” Paul explains. “They are prioritising qualities such as loyalty (79%), respect (78%) and open-mindedness (61%) over looks (56%). Self-care is one of their top priorities when dating, with 75% of young singles finding a match more attractive if they’re open to working on their mental wellbeing. Plus, 18-25 year olds are 32% less likely to ghost someone than 33+ year olds, showing it’s the younger generation leading this change. Ultimately, this means that they are fine to bow out of any situation, in order to remain true to themselves.”
Paul gives the example of a prospective partner not sharing the same life goals or not having similar interests – in an ‘all or nothing’ approach, you’re confident to take happiness into your own hands and waste no time moving on and putting yourself back out there – all on your own terms.
Essentially, any game-playing or time-wasting is so last year. “An ‘all or nothing’ mindset means less time is wasted and more is focused on forming meaningful connections,” Paul says. “Since the pandemic, work has bounced back alongside social events, and our schedules are full – young daters are valuing their own time more than they ever did before.”
The main way you can incorporate an ‘all or nothing’ mindset into your dating life, Paul advises, is to prioritise yourself and your time when dating, without sacrificing potential connections. “A great example of this is how I’ve seen more singles dating during work hours – perhaps cheeky, but definitely efficient,” he says. “Over two-thirds (68%) of singles admit they use dating apps while at work and 32% have even met up with a date during the workday. Dating isn’t all dinner and drinks, one of the best ways to quickly and truly get to know someone is to go for a walk during the day with a coffee.”
Next, consider what is most important to you, and have this in your mind when you first start talking to and meeting up with your new match. By doing this, Paul says, you can focus on finding the right person for you, and whether they share your values and possess the qualities you prioritise in a prospective partner. If they do? As Paul says: “Go all in!”
For more information, visit Tinder’s Future of Dating Report. Discover more and download the Tinder app at tinder.com.
