Dating : I Tried Dating Like The Netflix Show “Dating Around” And Here’s What Happened

The Netflix show “Dating Around” features a main contestant living in New York City who essentially goes on dates with people they might not have ever met had it not been for the show. Inspired, I decided to take it to the streets and try this “dating around” tactic in my own life. Here’s how it all played out:

Date 1: I’d heard that OKCupid was a good app to use if you were looking for something a bit more serious than Tinder or Bumble. I’ve come to determine that different apps have different vibes and OkCupid did seem a bit more serious, so I decided to try it after failed attempts on other apps. I met up with a guy for a hike. When we got there, I felt a connection with him and the conversation was smooth and easy. We had a lot in common. We hiked and talked and continued the date at a coffee shop. He wanted a second date but I ended up telling him I wanted to continue exploring my options as I had just started getting back out there in the dating scene again. He completely understood. After this whole experience, perhaps I should have known a good thing when I had it!

Date 2: I had been talking to this guy on OKCupid for a while before we actually met up. We met at a coffee shop — his favorite — and decided to go on a hike in the area afterwards. We were both new to the city and bonded over the various trials and tribulations of living there, but also the amazing beauty of it. We got along really well. I found him to be attractive but for whatever reason I felt we should be friends. We ended up spending a lot more time together over the time I lived in that city and developed a great friendship. We still keep in touch every now and then to this day.

Date 3: Coffee shops seem to be my main “go-to” when meeting up with a guy for a date. I met this next guy at a coffee shop as well. I thought he was really attractive in his profile. When we met up, he didn’t look quite like he had in his profile. That was an instant buzzkill for me. It became clear within 5 minutes that there was absolutely no attraction between this person and me, so I told him I just didn’t think it was going to work out. He left right away and I stayed at the coffee shop to get some work done on my laptop.

Date 4: I ended up moving back to my hometown and got back on the apps. This time I wasn’t looking for anything too serious so I tried Tinder. Again, I asked the man to meet up for a hike. He was a lot more flirtatious than I was used to but I kind of liked it. We ended up kissing on the first date which happens rarely for me. We maintained a relationship for about 3 months before I decided to end it. I learned a lot about myself from the relationship but it just wasn’t meant to last.

Date 5: During the beginning of my relationship with Date #4, I decided I still wanted to continue “dating around” and seeing what was out there. I went on another date — this time, using the Hinge app. I met a guy who I thought was attractive and we ended up meeting at a bar near his apartment. It was a bit later in the evening and it was dark out. I walked into the bar and gave him a hug. We proceeded to chat, but it seemed to me that his conversations with the bartender were better than the ones he and I were having. We had planned to go on a walk on the beach if things went well. I told him I wanted to leave the bar and he obliged. I then proceeded to tell him I didn’t think it was going to work out between us. He seemed shocked but insisted on walking me back to my car because it was so dark out. It was awkward to say the least. I told him I thought he should ask the bartender out, to which he asked if that was the reason why I wanted to leave. I told him not particularly, I just wasn’t feeling it. “Dating apps are weird,” he shared. I couldn’t agree more.