In the quest for love, sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone pays off, as these real-life stories from dating apps reveal.
Take Melissa, a 35-year-old who, in the summer of 2020-21, set her sights on Irish actor Paul Mescal, rumored to be in Sydney. Despite her usual preference for not dating younger men, she lowered her dating app age range, leading her to meet Tom, a 25-year-old with whom she’s been ever since. “Widening your dating pool can really open up unexpected opportunities for love” Melissa reflects.
Similarly, Isabel, at 34, was eager to find a partner and start a family. Her initial disappointment with Tinder in her local Naarm/Melbourne area led her to expand her geographical search range. This change in strategy brought Nick, 28, into her life while she was working in Djilang/Geelong. Unlike her local matches, Nick would travel for hours just to see her. Fast forward, and they’re now living happily with their five-year-old in a Melbourne suburb. Isabel’s advice?
“Stay open to different people, but stay true to the kind of partner you want in life”
Kat’s story offers a different perspective. At 28, she was newly single in Naarm/Melbourne and curious about exploring relationships with women. Dating apps offered her a comfortable way to explore this new aspect of her identity, helping her overcome “queer imposter syndrome.” Through these apps, she met her first romantic female partners and now identifies as pansexual. Interestingly, it was seeing her current girlfriend on an app that sparked their relationship, even though they had a mutual friend. “The apps were crucial in bridging that intimidating gap to dating women,” Kat shares.
These stories collectively highlight the potential of embracing a broader scope on dating apps, whether in age, location, or even exploring new aspects of your sexuality. It’s about finding love beyond the confines of your usual parameters, and as these experiences show, it can lead to some truly fulfilling relationships.
