The coronavirus has crippled not only university and professional life, but dating is also a problem if all the bars are closed. And that can be a real pain if you're single. Dating apps are seeing increasing numbers of people searching for a date. ‘You suddenly realise that you're alone on the couch.’

The RIVM (Dutch National Institute of Public Health and Environment) felt it necessary, at the start of the quarantine period, to emphasise the importance of staying at home to singles in particular. Dutch broadcaster NOS reports that dating apps and agencies are seeing an increase in the numbers of people looking for love. Users often see a warning on their screens when they use an app. On Happn, for example, it says: ‘Prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Do you have any doubts about your health status? If so, postpone your date. It can wait!’

Alone

Although quarantine at home can be very confronting: ‘You suddenly realise that you’re alone on the couch,’ says Floor (22), who is doing a Master’s in Biomedical Sciences. She deliberately went back on Tinder when the corona crisis began. ‘I have a love-hate relationship with Tinder. I stay on it for a while and then I delete the app again. Now and then you find nice people, but you have to then carry on a conversation with them. More often than not, that gets stuck at “this is my name, this is what I’m studying, this is where I’m from”.’

And that’s become even worse since the social isolation in Floor’s experience. ‘Normally, you could at least talk a bit about your day, but now everyone is at home. On the other hand, it can also lead to getting to know someone quickly, because you can’t spend as much time on aimless small talk.’

Park

Judie (24-year-old student) had already been using dating apps when the corona crisis began. ‘I’ve been single for quite some time and I was using the apps. I don’t spend as much time on them now, because obviously I can’t arrange to meet someone,’ she says. ‘Normally, after two weeks I want to find out what a person is like in real life.’

A law student (24) who wished to remain anonymous said: ‘I’ve been back on Tinder for about a month and am now in touch with someone I met on there. When I joined, I didn’t expect the crisis to get so bad that I wouldn’t be able to go on dates.’

‘After the first video call, which is weird, it’s actually okay’

The boy she met would actually like to meet in real life, but at the mandatory metre and a half distance, at the park for example. ‘But I think that will be difficult,’ she says. ‘If there’s a click, I think it will be hard to stick to the metre and a half distance. And if it turns out there’s no click, it’s a shame to have taken the risk.’ So for now, she will stick with Facetime. ‘For me, only messaging on WhatsApp was superficial,’ she says. ‘And although those calls are obviously not real dates, it’s all we have for now. And after the first weird one, it’s actually okay.’

Judie is moving towards having a date with someone she met on Happn. ‘We’re going to phone soon, as a next step of sorts.’ She doesn’t like the idea of video calling. ‘It’s really personal and in the end, it still doesn’t give you a good idea of the other person.’

Drama

Floor did go on a date. ‘I’ve actually just had my first Tinder date ever. When I downloaded Tinder, I thought: “It’s not like I can go on a date now anyway”.’ But in the end they went for a walk. ‘It was really bizarre getting to know someone that way. Normally, you would go for a drink somewhere.’

She explains that it was nice to do something other than think about the crisis. ‘Away from all the drama for a while. And the date was nice! But we didn’t exactly keep that metre and half distance. As far as I’m concerned, we’ll have another date.’

Games

The quarantine can also make a relationship develop more quickly. Mirte (26) had a date in a bar just before the social isolation measures were introduced. ‘We did wonder whether it was responsible,’ she says. ‘But it was still allowed.’ They clicked, and both she and her date really wanted to meet up again. But by then, the corona measures were in force and all the bars were closed.

‘So now we kind of spend our time together like senior citizens. We play games, talk a lot and don’t get distracted by activities such as parties and festivals. That does make things go fast and you get to know each other really well in this situation.’

A couple of days after her interview, Mirte sent a message: ‘A nice bit of extra information – as of today, it’s official!’