More than a year and a half ago, Chico State student Hailey Erickson made the decision to swipe right. Recently, she has made the decision to move in with the same man that she swiped right for. Erickson and her boyfriend, Chris Bolanos, met on Tinder— a dating app notorious for hookups. But Erickson is not the only one who met her significant other through Tinder.
Nicole DiLorenzo graduated from Chico State in spring 2014, and met her current boyfriend through Tinder as well. DiLorenzo and her boyfriend, Mike O’Hehir, matched on Tinder in September 2013, began dating in December 2013 and have been dating ever since.
The First Date
Erickson and DiLorenzo are both in long-term relationships with the people they love. However, there’s always going to be that initial awkwardness on a first date—especially since they had never seen the other person in person prior to the date.
“We hit it off immediately after the awkwardness wore off. Meeting someone face-to-face for the first time is always a little weird,” Erickson said. However, after the initial awkwardness and skepticism wore off, there was an obvious spark between the two.
“We had so many things in common so our conversations came smoothly and we talked until no one was left in the restaurant,” she said.
While online dating has worked out for some, it is also important to keep in mind the dangers that could occur when meeting with a stranger. DiLorenzo decided to take some precautions before actually going on a date with her match.
“We actually met in person before we went on a true date. After being matched and talking for a few days, I needed to make sure it was actually him. We planned to first meet in a public place, just in case. After meeting in the school library, we decided to meet again and go out to dinner at Burgers & Brew,” DiLorenzo said.
The Golden Question
Although evolving, there is certainly still a stigma in our culture attached to online dating.
“So how did you guys meet?” Everyone wants to know.
For some couples who have met online or through dating apps, this may be a dreaded question. But for Erickson, she is not embarrassed by how she met her significant other.
“It was awkward explaining to my parents that I met a really great guy online. Everyone was hesitant to take it seriously. Chris and I both agree that it is hilarious, and we’re not ashamed that we met there. I don’t think we would have crossed paths any other way, so we are both weirdly thankful for Tinder,” Erickson said.
Although some may be judgmental of online dating, throughout her relationship, DiLorenzo has found most people to be relatively supportive of the unique circumstance in which she met her boyfriend.
“Most people were not phased by it. We live in a time where a lot of people are meeting online in different ways, so I believe it has become more acceptable in society today. Plus, half of the girls in my sorority were already on Tinder,” DiLorenzo said.
The Future
Meeting on a dating app that is well-known among the hookup culture, most would think that a relationship would not last. However, both couples have made some serious plans for their futures. DiLorenzo and O’Hehir already have an apartment together.
“After graduating from Chico State and moving back home, we decided to move in together. Currently, our future plans include vacationing and traveling. We definitely see each other staying together for a long time,” DiLorenzo said.
As for Erickson and Bolanos, they are excited to finally move in together after spending 18 months of their relationship long-distance.
“Tinder introduced me to my favorite guy and I’m thankful for that. He’s absolutely the person I was meant to find. We’re hoping they’ll sponsor our wedding years down the road,” Erickson said, “Ha, kidding!”
Kameryn Whippple can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_news on Twitter.
