Dating apps are very prevalent in our modern society, but they are leading the dating scene in the wrong direction. The thought of falling for someone based on a profile is strange. 

Many individuals on dating apps may appear like models, but the beauty is only superficial. A few filters or camera tricks can distort one’s true appearance. 

Perhaps once the façade is lifted, the butterflies you felt when first looking at that person flutter away not from comfort, but rather from not meeting expectations. 

While it seems convenient to make your information public and see who takes the bait, you never know who will come your way. 

The potential for catfishing is unsettlingly high. Even if you think you’re speaking to a genuine person, you still must hope that their true identity matches that of their often shamelessly edited photos and fabricated biographies. 

According to Pew Research Center, only 12% of Americans have been in a committed relationship with or married someone they met through a dating app. 

I will not deny that there are dating success stories out there, but I highly doubt dating apps lead to longer, healthier relationships than traditional methods of courtship. 

There is little to no quality in merely matching interests because two people looked at a few facts about each other and thought, “Why not?” 

To me, it is much more romantic to meet unexpectedly, at a restaurant or in class, and fall head over heels for each other. 

Apps take away the uneasiness before a conversation is started and the fate of a relationship hangs in the balance, but in something as serious as a first impression, the physical nature of traditional dating is much more impactful and full of emotion. 

If you are tempted to download any dating app to find your soulmate, the best advice I can give you is to put the phone down and go out to meet people.