Hi guys! I’m really excited about today’s post. It’s a little bit of a mixed bag, but I hope whether you’re single (and loving it!), coupled up, or dating around that you find something helpful or amusing!This post is separate from the sponsored work I’m doing with Hinge on Instagram, but I thought it would be fun to expand on the topic of dating apps and answer the questions you all submitted (far too long ago, admittedly)!

I put together a round-up of a few of my answers to the dating prompts on Hinge, which you’ll see below, but it also got me thinking about how I wish we could create our own prompts. I came up with a few I think would be good conversation starters. Basically, anything to replace the “pet peeves” prompt, no? When a guy chooses that out of all the options, it says so much about the type of person he is and it’s generally a huge turn off for me (I don’t want to hear you bitch about something right off the bat). I’m also not a big fan of people who go on and on about their travels. It comes off super braggy and stating that, “I better be okay with hopping on a plane at a moment’s notice” doesn’t excite me…it gives me anxiety, lol.

Wouldn’t these be a lot more fun? And telling? 😆

Who was the last person you texted and what did you say to them?

What is the last thing you Googled?

Give me your best “would you rather.”

What’s the last photo on your camera roll of?

Name a non-negotiable for you when it comes to a relationship.

Hinge, are you hiring in this area? If so, I’m your girl. 😉

Here are the answers to the dating prompts I use in my actual profile! If you’re on the app, you know there are a ton of other options, but these are the ones I rotate in and out.

What if I told you…

….that I’ve never eaten a hamburger?

I’m looking for….

….electric chemistry (and a slew of missed connections, if I’m being honest). Or someone to feed me tacos and tell me I’m witty.

Don’t hate me if….

…my gif game is terrible. And by terrible I mean nonexistent.

The dorkiest thing about me…

…I still sleep with a retainer. 🤓

My simple pleasures…

…strategically placed iPhone chargers around an apartment and going to the grocery store before anyone else is awake during the week.

I’m weirdly attracted to….

…fast walkers and people who love music (especially live!) as much as I do.

Where to find me at the party…

…scheming to get my playlist on the speaker.

First round is on me…

….if you beat me in skee-ball.

My ideal fake sick day would…

….start with a run along the lake and end with beers on the golf course.And below you’ll find my answers to the questions you guys sent my way! If you have more, leave them down in the comments and we can keep this conversation going.

How to know when you’re ready to date again. I’m a firm believer that more often than not, getting over someone takes meeting someone else. Will that someone else be the one you spend the rest of your life with? Maybe not, but in my experience, it’s been another person that’s helped me get over the hump of a break up (or a hang up…which I reserve for those grayish relationships I’ve had a handful of times since splitting up with my ex). I’m sure the majority of people out there will say they don’t agree with this and you shouldn’t “need” someone else/should learn to love yourself, you know, all that meme-y stuff we’re force-fed. Simply put, it’s human nature to want companionship and there’s no shame in wanting to find someone to spend your days with.

A deep connection doesn’t know time and there’s no recipe or special calculation to tell you when you’ll be ready. I didn’t wait long before dipping my toes in the dating pool, but I also think that had a lot to do with where I found myself at the end of my relationship (a stark realization of just how much had been missing for me to be happy and fulfilled). It’s natural to seek that out so if you feel ready, don’t let society tell you it’s “too soon.” There’s no such thing. And if you aren’t ready, fill your time with experiences and people that make you happy, whatever that looks like for you.

More on relationships here and here.

Tips for app dating. Don’t be afraid to reach out first! I think as women, we’re taught to let the man lead. I’m a big proponent of going after what you want in life. If you’re new to the whole reaching out first thing, practice reaching out to the people you match with immediately (meaning they already liked you first, opposed to you liking someone and then waiting to see if they like you back…and then doing the reaching out). Think of it as a “balls in your court” type thing since they already liked you. If I’m really interested, I like to get off the app and move things over to text.

Good opening lines on apps. I like to keep things light and use humor whenever possible! I try to pick out something unique about their profile and turn it into a question. Or I defer to my prompt ideas, which are always great questions to lead with if you’re struggling.

When is it appropriate to meet up? I mean this in the nicest way possible, but I don’t have a lot of time for small talk that drags on for weeks and weeks over an app or text, especially with someone I might not be into after meeting in person. I struggle enough just to keep up with friends and family! A few back and forth messages are enough for me and then if he doesn’t cut straight to the chase about meeting up, I do. From there, it’s pretty clear what his intentions are and we either meet up for said date or I let it die and it’s onto the next.

Ways to meet guys organically/in person? Stay open minded! Who says you can’t meet someone on the red line? 😜 I really liked Clara’s post on The Stripe and I try to live my life in this way. Side note: Same goes for friendships, too! I was just talking with my friend Stephanie about how we met and it was all because she noticed me struggling to get set up in my first boxing class and offered to help. After class, she said we should take another workout class together so we exchanged numbers and have been friends ever since. If she hadn’t done that, our relationship wouldn’t exist!

If you have any other dating questions or feel like sharing the prompts you answered on your dating profile, leave them in the comments! Or if you have any crazy dating stories, I’m all for those too. 😉

One more thing, today is the last day to enter the $150 Eataly giveaway!