The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on all of us. Even those of us who have been lucky enough to avoid contact with the virus itself. Many of us have lost family members to the dread pandemic, while many more have lost jobs or income. And all over the world, people have had to shelter themselves away and lead much of their social lives online. This is particularly challenging for those of us who have yet to meet a special someone. The widespread lockdown has put the kibosh on many people’s dating plans, and the loneliness they may be feeling only exacerbates the inevitable mental health effects of living under lockdown- with women and young people among the most affected.
Still, with lockdown measures easing in many areas, lots of singletons are once more emerging from their homes and tentatively dipping their toes back into the dating scene. In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the benefits of this… and some of the caveats.
You can get to know them a little better online first
One of the benefits of online dating is that you get to spend some time getting to know your prospective beau through online interactions before you meet face to face. One of the arguable advantages of our current situation is that you can prolong this- getting to know one another a little better and building a sense of anticipation for your first face-to-face date until you both feel safe meeting up in person.
You have the time to redefine yourself
One of the great things about new relationships is that it gives you the opportunity to redefine yourself. Not only do you get to establish your needs, goals, and expectations for a relationship, you can also redefine your appearance and personality to come across as the best version of yourself. It is a good idea to have a clean bill of health before getting involved with someone new. It wouldn’t hurt to get tested for any virus or std if you have been sexually active in the past. Simply search “std testing near me” and go get that clean bill of health. It can liberate you from worry and how you’ve been perceived in other relationships and build on a strong foundation of self-acceptance and self-love.
Also, now is a good time to go ahead and order those clothes that you always thought were a little too bold or daring before. They say you should always make one purchase that scares you just a little- it ends up being your favorite. You’ll feel happy you did and look amazing too!
Never been happy with your teeth? Now’s the time to invest in clear braces. You don’t even need to go to the dentist to get them. You can experiment with different makeup looks and hairstyles. You have complete control over the version of you that you want to be.
Prepare for a whole new kind of dating
It’s likely that you’ll need to adjust to a whole new kind of dating. A kind that keeps you at a physical distance from one another, even when you’re in the same space. And while you may yearn to hold their hand, hug or kiss them, this will only add to the anticipation.
Plus, you’ll get to connect more on a personal and emotional level… and that’s what keeps a relationship going through the good times and the bad.
