Shooting Cupid’s arrows through cyberspace

FILLED with the hope of finding Ms or Mr Right, many have hopped on to the dating app bandwagon.

But even though it has become a social norm especially among youths, many agree that online dating has its fair share of challenges.

A post-graduate student who wishes to be known only as Bob, 26, says he did not really enjoy his experience on a dating app, partly because of how it works.

“Conversations would always go stagnant and communication just ceases after a while. I guess the nature of dating apps is such where you make a pitch about yourself and that’s about it.

“It can be difficult to build on much after that,” he says.

While Bob has come across people he could relate to, he has never met any one of them in real life.

He logged out for good after getting into a relationship with a friend, whom he had known for quite a while.

Nevertheless, he does believe dating apps can work for some.

“I’ve heard of success stories. At the end of the day, it is an individual choice on how they’d like to find their soul mate,” Bob says.

Describing himself as “a little old school”, he still believes it is best to meet someone offline as “there’s nothing like old fashioned dating!”

It is the same for Polly, a public relations executive, who feels there is something “refreshing” about being unable to look at someone’s life in an instant on your screen.

“Finding out about a person’s personality, character and history in person is more interesting to me,” she says.

While she isn’t on any dating apps since she is in a relationship, Polly, 22, admits online dating is more convenient and is the way of the world today.

“But I enjoy the organic feeling of meeting someone for the first time without an agenda or something too planned,” she adds.

However, some do find their “happily ever after” online, such as Wong, a 32-year-old pharmacist, who married her match found on a dating app.

“Honestly, I used to be old fashioned too, preferring to meet face to face.

“But if it wasn’t for my colleague who introduced me to Tinder, I wouldn’t be married now,” she says with a laugh.

Wong says she changed her mind about online dating after chatting with the man who became her husband.

“Online dating can be good for introverts like me. In a way, you don’t have to worry about how you look and act when you are texting.

“But you must know how to be articulate as the other person may misinterpret your words since they don’t know your tone of voice,” she says, adding that she also knew of other couples who got hitched after meeting on dating apps.

Former dating app user, Bob, 26

At the end of the day, it is every individual’s choice on how they’d like to find their soul mate.