Dating

It’s 2016 and we should be over stereotypes about single women, yet they persist like acne on a teenage face. When not getting shoutouts from Beyonce, many single ladies still feel pressure to settle down “before it’s too late.”

Single men, on the other hand, are celebrated. We idolize the charmingly rakish Barney Stinsons of the world, propping their lifestyles up as something to aspire to. There’s just one problem: those men may be more unhappy in their singlehood than their solo-flying female counterparts.

According to a new study from Avvo, an online legal service company, more women feel positive about being single than men. A sample of over 2000 U.S. adults aged 18 and over participated in Avvo’s 2016 Relationship, Marriage, and Divorce Survey. Three out of four female participants said they’d rather be “alone, successful, and happy” than be in a disappointing relationship. Only 58% of male participants said they felt the same way.

Dating on its own is difficult, but when you’re an introvert, it can be both frustrating and exhausting.

Introverts aren’t anti-social (contrary to popular opinion), but while they do enjoy being with people, they also need more time alone to recharge. Think of it this way: extroverts get more energy by being around people and excitement, whereas introverts gain energy from taking a time-out.

So what does this mean when it comes to dating?

It seems every online business is tapping into the lucrative and popular online dating industry. The latest newbie?  Goldstar, the company that offers online discounts for tickets to your favorite shows, events and concerts.

It makes sense for Goldstar to get involved in the dating scene, since they already provide tickets to fun events, a perfect setting for a blind date. How About We and other online dating services are already focused on matching people through events and by planning first dates, hoping to attract users who are tired of endlessly messaging matches, which can happen with apps like Tinder.

But how exactly does it work?

Summer is officially behind us (except for those of you in the southern hemisphere), which means the start of the holiday season. And while you might be missing those warm nights, there’s a good chance your love life will improve in the new season.

Autumn has been proven to be the season for finding lasting love, whether it’s because people are socializing more, or the rush and romance of the holidays, or the fact that cold nights by the fire inspire romantic notions. To help you get a jump start this season, dating site Match has put together a few statistics about the best ways to find love, based on its annual survey of thousands of people in the US, called Singles in America.

First of all, Match encourages you to give love a real chance, and not to expect instant chemistry to lead to a long-term romance. In fact, Match found that a majority of daters – 59% of men and women – do not expect to feel chemistry until the second date, and 35% reported they have fallen deeply in love with someone they didn’t initially find attractive.

Let’s let this settle a moment: 35% of survey respondents admitted they have fallen in love with someone they weren’t initially attracted to. This goes against many romantic stories we have been told of love at first sight, and it’s also heartening to know that chemistry builds over time.

Here’s some advice Match shared about what works and what doesn’t on a first date, to help you get to the second date where the real magic can happen:

How many times have you been on a date where the person you’re meeting seems angry, frustrated, or negative? And how many times have you been on dates where you felt that way yourself?

We all feel negative from time to time, but it definitely affects your love life if you allow those feelings to take hold and shape your attitude towards dating. This month, dating site Match released a study based on a survey it conducted among one thousand of its users to determine how positive and negative thinking affect the dating experience.

Not surprisingly, especially with this election year, nearly 80% of Match members feel the country has become MORE negative over the last 4 years and more than half of Match members have broken up with someone because they were too negative or pessimistic. The majority of Match members agree, the most attractive attribute of positivity is the fact that it signals a good outlook on life (68%).

Online dating is the classic double-edge sword. On one hand, it opens up your dating pool exponentially. Potential partners could be anywhere in the world, and you can surf those infinite matches from the comfort of your couch (preferably while wearing PJs and tucking into your favorite comfort food).

Then there’s the other hand. The PJs are on. You’re curled up on the couch. A package of Oreos awaits. You grab your phone, start browsing and BOOM, there it is: one of these 4 abysmal profiles. Swipe left as fast as your fingers will allow.