Welcome to Megan Barton-Hanson’s new VICE UK column, covering all things to do with sex, relationships and self-love during one of the strangest eras of the 21st century.I’m a bit of a serial dater. There’ll always be someone on the go, even if it’s just flirty texting, but there’s not much for single people to do right now. We’re still in lockdown and it would be great to have a Netflix partner to watch all these new shows with, plus I’m currently blocked from Hinge because it thinks I’m a catfish. (Hinge, if you’re reading this, please set me free!) Luckily, I’m quite independent. I enjoy my own company and I have my little routines – but I won’t lie I do get lonely sometimes, especially when it comes to wanting that physical connection.
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I’m a big fan of having a glass of wine with someone on FaceTime, but virtual dating can be intimidating for anyone. You’re worried about the conversation drying up, and it’s harder to tell whether or not someone is into you without body language. Going on in-person dates again after a lockdown can feel daunting too. You go from being in your own little safe bubble on Zoom where, in the absolute worst case scenario, you can just shut the laptop, to navigating whose house to go to. Imagine if someone’s come back to yours and they’re a lingerer? The worst. I’ll literally be sat up all night waiting for them to leave. At least one perk of digital dating right now is there’s a nice swift exit if needed!So whether you’ve been single for a while or you’ve recently broken up with someone, whether you’re looking for love or a laugh – it’s a new year, and a fresh start. Everything was so fast paced before the pandemic. People were worried about work and wrapped up in their own lives, so now is a perfect opportunity to really work on yourself so you’re the person you want to put out there. With that in mind, here are some tips on how to get back into the swing of dating in 2021, lockdown or no.One danger with online dating is you can sometimes build a person up how you want them to be while talking, and when you eventually meet up they're completely different. In my experience girls are super open and will go in-depth about a lot of things, but when I’m talking to a guy I’m like ‘oh my god has he got any chat or are men just like this?’ They’re quite simple creatures. But then in person they’ve got the most so say. So try not to judge someone too much over messaging – unless the conversation is an absolute struggle. Lockdown can actually be a good judge of things here. If you can keep a conversation going with someone you’ve never met during this time – when there’s no gigs on, no weekends out with their friends they can tell you about and it’s generally quite dry for chat – that’s a good sign!
DON’T: JUDGE PEOPLE EARLY ON
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