What’s the New Normal for Online Dating in India?
Woo Dating discovers lockdown trends for singles across top metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad. Woo has helped to find compatible partners, keeping safety measures in mind.
To swipe right or left is not in fashion anymore, that’s for sure!
Just like everything else, dating too has a new normal. Not because the generation has changed, but because the overall approach to life and relationships has seen a paradigm shift post COVID-19.
While singles may have looked for casual relationships, quick coffee dates, and 3-minute speed dating rounds in the past, today they are spending more time understanding the kind of partner they want, and how they can use free online dating options to explore the same.
The pandemic has made singles question what they want from their lives and loves…
It’s also made them realise that they need a new set of skills on the personal, professional, and romantic front — what worked in the past, no longer works today.
Many singles we spoke to were looking for a resilient partner — Someone who could reinvent themselves, rise above challenges, and evolve to suit the needs of the current age.
The focus has also shifted from someone with a fancy designation and flashy car, to someone who can add meaning to their lives on a daily basis, cutting out all the extra fuss and drama.
And, as the understanding of life has changed, so has the way they date and seek a new partner online or offline…
WOO dating — one of India’s best dating apps — noticed that, during the pandemic, many singles came up with creative and fun ways to get to know new people, even as they lived and worked from the safe confines of their home.
Here are some of the dating trends in India that were highlighted through couple stories…
Taking online classes together is a great way to make new friends!
Aashish had met Riya at a yoga studio earlier in the year… He had always found her attractive, but didn’t know how to strike up a conversation. When the offline studio now started online classes, he finally found his opportunity.
After every yoga class Aashish would call up Riya, and they would both review the class together. What started as yoga talk soon led to talking more about each other, and how they were coping with the lockdown. Before they knew it, the unlocking had begun, and they started meeting up for walks in the area… Of course, the romance continues!
With online classes and free webinars aplenty, there is no dearth of opportunities to do activities together with your date…or even meet someone new! You may not be able to attend a class in person, but you can definitely learn and grow together. Couples can join classes that interest both, while singles can mingle with new friends virtually.
Video calling is a great way to know the other person better in a natural setting
Riddhi was very conscious of the camera… What’s more, she always felt the need for makeup — lipstick or mascara to highlight her features. But, when the lockdown happened, she did away with make-up completely…because she was almost always at home!
So, every time Rishi video-called her — a guy she met on Woo Dating app — she would wonder if she was looking OK… Her hand would go up to straighten her hair, or she would sneakily add some lip gloss when he looked away. Slowly, the habit reduced… Riddhi became more comfortable in her skin. Some angles may have made her nose look longer, or at other times she may have been having bad hair days, but she didn’t let any of that deter her… She video-chatted with Rishi every single day of the lockdown!
The lockdown has made many singles realise they want to be accepted ‘as is’ — in pyjamas, with no make-up, doing household chores — basically revelling in the dishevelled look…but still ready to take a plunge and fall madly in love! Woo, one of India’s best dating apps, thinks it’s time to embrace the lockdown look and play the free online dating game in India with élan!
Cycling groups can be a meeting point, a fitness form, and perhaps, even the start of a love story…
Gyms were shut, walkways were thronged by people in masks jostling for space, and online exercise classes meant sitting in the house the whole day. Vishal knew he had to step out to stay fit… He chose the next best option, a growing trend in the neighbourhood — cycling! Couples and kids alike were cycling at any time of the day!
He too decided to revisit his childhood passion, and ordered a new cycle online. One hour each day, he explored new routes. Soon he went online and discovered numerous cycling groups he could join. They used to meet up on specific days, and cycle together to various locations. It was on one such group ride that he met Nitya — a vivacious adventurous girl who he now cycles with almost thrice a week…post which, of course, they are on the phone together!
Outdoor sports — with enough space between two people, and protected by masks — has become a dating trend. Woo dating has always believed that those with similar interests are probably the most compatible… After all, being with someone is about doing fun stuff together! So, don’t let the lockdown become an obstacle; it may just be an opportunity in disguise!
Speed dating on Zoom rooms is a great way to explore your dating options
Chetan had attended meet-ups hosted by a singles’ group in the city till March 2020. After COVID-19, the group went online, and connected singles through virtual meetings. Every fortnight, they’d introduce participants and then break up one girl and guy into a Zoom room where they could get to know each other, before they moved on to the next… Similar to speed dating, but a virtual version of it!
Chetan didn’t think he would connect with anyone online, but he gave it a shot anyway… It was a Friday night, he lived alone, and there was nothing to lose. As luck would have it, he met a pretty and intelligent girl called Nishka. They had a lot in common, and chatted non-stop, but the admin soon intervened and said it was time! Chetan got Nishka’s number from the event host, and called her soon after, saying he wanted to get to know her better. The feeling was mutual, and the two are still chatting and exploring the possibilities of a long-term relationship.
Lockdown creativity has made everything possible, sometimes even recreating a real-world dating experience in the virtual world… The only thing you need, like offline dating, is the desire to have someone in your life, and be willing to put yourself out there to explore the free options available in online dating.
WOO dating app, one of India’s best dating apps, is working on several creative ways to unite singles on our platform… To know more about our latest events and services, simply download Woo app.
As your favourite dating app in India, we are always with you in your quest to find the ideal romantic partner… More so during the pandemic, when you need to hold someone’s hand, even if only virtually, to survive the times with more love and hope in your heart!
*Names changed for privacy purposes.
