Dating Diaries 7: Covid Dating

Covid has made EVERYTHING challenging for EVERYONE in the world. You just have to say, “I was applying for this position, and then… covid” or “We had a trip to Italy all booked and then . . . corona” (both true for me, unfortunately!), and people understand. Life got interrupted and changed for everyone. But how do you date during the Covid19 pandemic? 


I mean really, how do you DATE?? Haha. 


I remember the first guy I went out with prepped our date with a really good question: “How are you feeling about the social distancing?” Oh yeah. The social distancing. To mask or not? Do you shake hands or hug? WHERE do you go? And how can you plan ahead to know what’s open?


It became really normal and NECESSARY to bring up the topic before a date. One of my dating apps even has a filter for stating your social distancing preferences. 


And suddenly people are forced to share their politics. I remember drafting a message to a guy saying that I was comfortable walking outside without a mask, and my friend said that it sounded like I was getting political. “I’m not,” I defended myself, “I’m just trying to set up the expectation!” I mean, one guy walked up to our meeting place with a mask, and I was like, “I think that’s him.” Haha. 


And then the conversation DURING the date. “Pre-covid, I …., but now I’m ….”. 


And while a lot of emotions are involved during this time, it’s also an opportunity to be honest and to give grace.


But mostly I’m seeing that finding the humor in it all has been the most fun. 


In my last conversation, the guy and I were desperately trying to find a place with patio seating, but not all restaurants consistently update their open/closed/dining/patio status online. So, we had to wait to call during open hours, and it just became . . . what everyone else is experiencing . . . hard to plan. 


Finally, I just pointed out the obvious elephant in the room: “The struggles of covid dating,” and we both just laughed so hard. 


Yeah, it just is hard. But that’s okay. Just like with everything else with Covid, we’re all in this together. 

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