Whats next in love, dating, relationships and sex.

Are you curious what is next for you in dating, love, relationships and sex? 

After the last year it became abundantly clear that life is unpredictable, fragile and short.  This led myself and many others who study and predict on all things love that many couples who were locked down together would quickly split when they could and many singles would be flocking to hookup sex once it was safe to do so. What came to my mind was millions in line at divorce lawyers offices instead of concert venues and the Roaring 20’s in full swing but sexually freer due to the advent of birth control.

Studies are showing that this is not the case it turns out many do not want to break free from their relationships as initially expected and people are sick of free falling out into nothing and want more committed relationships not just hookup sex. 

It seems we have hit a reset button to the disposability of the swipe style dating and hookup culture and many committed people want to stay that way. Since the hookup culture was never about doing it well but just about doing it, that is a relief. Plus knowing how hard it is to find someone who we like spending time with long term the fact that many are choosing to stay with their people is thrilling! 

This may change once the world has fully opened and the stress of the pandemic is forgotten but I hope not! As so many polled are saying they want quality dating and sexual experiences with real connections we might just be able to find and keep love yet.

A recent study of 2000 people done by Esquire, Cosmo and the Kinsey institute showed that half of those surveyed stated they were no longer into one night stands with the theme seeming to be that after the stress of the last year people want their sexual experiences to be emotional as well as physical. 

https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/a35949514/sex-after-the-pandemic-survey/

In part the study found:

52% of single people said they are looking for a committed relationship.

Half who were coupled during the pandemic stated the quality of their relationship as far as affection and their sex life was better.

Happily it showed only 7 % of those that fantasized about leaving their relationship actually planned on doing so.

Next up many stated they had been or wanted to be more sexually experimental with one partner. So the bottom line is it sounds like better and more connected sex is coming!

So....

If you are single now is the time to start thinking about your future dating life. Now that the world is opening back up, more people are vaccinated and getting out. People are super open to connect and to have real conversations. I have found it can lead to very positive interactions.  Plus, even if it doesn’t turn into meeting your someone it is good to get out there and start practicing the act of conversation and meeting new people.  

It’s also a good time to think about online dating. Online dating sites have quadrupled their users during the pandemic.  Couple that with the desire for people to make real connections and the odds of meeting someone and having it turn into something real have skyrocketed. Plus 70% who added video dating plan to keep it as a dating practice and this is a great way for initial safe dates.

Also people may be on better behavior. A study showed that ½ of Hinge’s online dating users took time during the lockdown to work on breaking bad dating habits such as ghosting, gameplaying or rushing connections. 

All of this means that post Covid we could have a pool of high quality daters who are actually interested in some form of commitment and those in relationships may just be stronger then ever.