Lisa Curry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter MEGAPHONE MAGAZINE

When the idea of going to a speed dating event with Megaphone vendor Louise Boilevin came up, I never thought I would also be working 91裸聊视频渦ndercover91裸聊视频� and roped into writing an article about my dating adventures and being 91裸聊视频減rofessionally91裸聊视频� single.

But I always try to be a good sport. So I agreed, cajoled into the premise it would be a 91裸聊视频渇un article91裸聊视频� for our February 91裸聊视频渓ove91裸聊视频� edition.

After all, it91裸聊视频檚 common knowledge that executive directors are often married to their jobs. Over the years though, I91裸聊视频檝e noticed how much the dating game has changed, especially with the rise of online dating and the lasting impacts of the pandemic.

So we bought tickets for a speed dating session in December. If you91裸聊视频檝e never tried speed dating, it usually involves women seated at tables while men rotate every five minutes, and the whole experience is a bit disorienting.

As I found myself chatting with strangers in a casino restaurant at 8 p.m. on a Sunday 91裸聊视频攔ight in the middle of Megaphone91裸聊视频檚 fundraising and calendar season 91裸聊视频� I thought, 91裸聊视频淎t least Louise and I will have a laugh.91裸聊视频�

Louise arrived looking fabulous as usual. She sparkled like a Charlie91裸聊视频檚 Angel, dressed in bright, sequinned hot pink. (For more on Louise91裸聊视频檚 indomitable style and unsinkable attitude, read her column on page 20 of this issue).

Louise, of course, was cool as a cucumber throughout the event. I kept glancing over at her table to see her holding court with her current date.

Me? I was too tired to fully embrace the moment. I consoled myself: face-to-face dating must be better than online dating, right?

As an elder Millennial, I often reflect on the significant social and technological shifts my generation has experienced. I remember life before personal computers, the internet and smartphones 91裸聊视频� back when boys had to call our home91裸聊视频檚 landline and talk to a parent before speaking to us 91裸聊视频� and most people met potential partners through school, work or social outings. As such, we grew up alongside the digital age, giving us a unique perspective in today91裸聊视频檚 world.

Thinking back to when Tinder, my first dating app, emerged, I remember it being quite wholesome at the beginning. Sure, some used it for hookups then, but I remember going on a lot of genuine dates. That91裸聊视频檚 when I learned that back-to-back dates are unmanageable for me.

Today, online dating has morphed into something more complex. There are multiple platforms and everyone has their own approach. Some prefer to meet up quickly (highly recommend), some juggle multiple conversations, forgetting what they said last to whom, and some prefer to invest in lengthy text-based courtships before meeting.

Personally, I need to feel someone91裸聊视频檚 energy 91裸聊视频� or for the kids, vibes 91裸聊视频� before deciding if I want to keep interacting romantically. I also recall when swiping through all available matches was possible. Now, the options seem endless, always leaving the possibility of someone better just a swipe away91裸聊视频�

Shark-infested waters

With all of this choice, you would think online dating would be more positive.

Yet, in a Pew Research Center poll published in August 2020, 47 per cent of those polled said dating had become harder over the past 10 years since dating apps took hold. This number is even higher now after years of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased isolation and growing polarization. A 2023 survey by the Thriving Center of Psychology found that 56 per cent of adults now say that dating is harder than it has been in previous years.

There are also reports that fewer young people are having romantic relationships during their teenage and young adult years, in stark contrast to previous generations.

Several online dating platforms offer conversation prompts to help strangers break the ice. These prompts are a great way to show a bit of your personality and share what you91裸聊视频檙e looking for 91裸聊视频� or what you91裸聊视频檙e not looking for. One of mine, which has become an effective filter, is sharing my most irrational fear: sharks.

I know what you might be thinking because I hear it all the time: 91裸聊视频淭hat is a rational fear.91裸聊视频� And sure, it could be, depending on the context. But the last time I swam in waters with a high risk of shark attacks was more than 15 years ago. I remember constantly looking over my shoulder.

These days, I mostly stick to the coast of British Columbia because it feels safer.

However, I often get corrected. I even added a note asking people to 91裸聊视频淧lz stop splaining that this is a rational fear. I live in Canada.91裸聊视频� Naturally, this provoked some people even more. Yes, there are sharks off the coast of B.C., but according to the Canadian Shark Attack Registry, there have only been two close encounters anywhere close to where I swim 91裸聊视频� one in 1905 and another in 1925. Regardless, be careful out there, folks!

Sharks. Dating. The congruity is not lost on me91裸聊视频�

Of course, online dating has its benefits. It has made it safer and easier for 2SLGBTQI+ people to connect and find love, and some couples would never have met if it wasn91裸聊视频檛 for an app.

However, I do hope our society can find ways to revive some of the 91裸聊视频渙ld ways91裸聊视频� of dating, rather than relying so heavily on apps, which have become almost essential if you want to 91裸聊视频済et out there.91裸聊视频�

Lisa Curry is the executive director of Megaphone, Louise Boilevin is a Downtown Eastside advocate, activist and Megaphone vendor.