Why do young people abandon dating apps for quick meetings with strangers?

Lilian, 32, from Australia, can't remember how many times she's deleted and reinstalled dating apps. Despite hating them, she knows that going to clubs to meet new people isn't a good idea.

"I've been single for quite a while. Maybe now is the time when I really want someone to be by my side," Lilian said.

This time, instead of redownloading the dating app and searching for a partner through pictures, the 32-year-old girl decided to "speed date".

The number of speed dating events across Australia has increased dramatically over the past decade. According to the Guardian , around 114,000 tickets have been sold for 4,000 events nationwide, with nearly 2,000 of those scheduled for 2022 and 2023.

Vì sao giới trẻ từ bỏ ứng dụng hẹn hò để gặp gỡ chớp nhoáng với người lạ? - 1 — Many young people feel frustrated when using dating apps (Photo: Getty).

Lilian says that when it comes to speed dating, most people think, "They must be desperate to resort to this type of dating."

Although she thought the meeting wouldn’t be that bad, Lilian couldn’t help but feel nervous. However, the Australian’s anxiety quickly dissipated once she entered the event. Lilian said that speed dating events are pleasant, somewhat similar to the real-life version of dating apps.

During the event, Lilian was led by the MC, moving from table to table every 5 minutes to chat with a total of 18 people. After meeting, attendees would write down the name of the person they liked. If both parties had the same choice, they would receive a message from the organizer.

Lilian wrote down four names and successfully matched three. She then dated one of her matches for three months.

Vì sao giới trẻ từ bỏ ứng dụng hẹn hò để gặp gỡ chớp nhoáng với người lạ? - 2 — During the 5-minute period, participants in the speed dating event will chat and introduce themselves to each other to find the right person (Photo: Los Angeles Times).

Like Lilian, Lukas (26) - a guy with social anxiety - also used speed dating as an alternative to dating apps. Not to mention flirting, starting a conversation with others is a challenge for him.

"When using dating apps, I can only introduce myself through a few short lines. However, I can show my personality when speed dating," Lukas said.

Despite going on two fruitless dates, Lukas didn't feel too disappointed. Instead, he became more confident.

“Going to a dating event and talking to 20 people is a big achievement for me. Now I can strike up a conversation with other people,” he added.

Vì sao giới trẻ từ bỏ ứng dụng hẹn hò để gặp gỡ chớp nhoáng với người lạ? - 3 — Not only does speed dating help young people find their "other half", it also helps them become more confident (Photo: Jesse Chan-Norris).

For Ben, 32, apps have long taken the “fun out of dating,” as flirty messages rarely translate into real-life encounters.

"When I see that the other person doesn't reply to my messages, I immediately wonder, are they busy? Are they seeing someone else?

We often forget someone we meet through a dating app quickly. In contrast, face-to-face meetings leave more unforgettable impressions," said Ben.

According to the 32-year-old, speed dating is “a thousand times better” than using apps on your phone. Although Ben and his date decided not to get to know each other, he still enjoyed the opportunity to chat with strangers.

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