While we’re at home enjoying the 2018 Winter Olympics from the comfort of our sofa and extra soft stretchy pants, off duty athletes in PyeongChang are using dating apps like crazy.
We know this because Olympic athletes have openly discussed the popularity of dating apps. Jamie Anderson, the American snowboarder who won gold in the slopestyle event in Sochi, told Us Weekly “Tinder in the Olympic Village is next level. It’s all athletes! In the mountain village it’s all athletes. It’s hilarious. There are some cuties on there.”
Swarths of young, single, impossibly fit people from all over the world? Yes, please. But before you go and switch your Tinder location to South Korea, it’s worth taking a look at some of the things the Olympics and dating apps have in common.
1. They bring everyone together.
Just like how the Olympics miraculously brings together people from all different corners of the world, so do dating apps. There’s no one kind of Olympian or online dater — and that’s what’s kind of amazing about both. Depending on your settings, you can find almost any kind of person on dating apps. In other words, it’s where everyone is hanging out. So, why not join the party?
2. Everyone is going for gold.
You’ll often hear athletes in interviews say things like, “I don’t even care about the medal, it’s just great to be here!” While I’m sure that’s true to an extent (attending the Olympics must be absolutely thrilling!), they wouldn’t be at the event if they didn’t want to win. The same can be said for online dating and people who put things in their profile like, “Just here looking around.” No. You’re. Not. Whether it’s a steamy hook-up, a life partner or an Olympic medal, everyone is working toward a goal.
3. You sometimes have to show up again and again to get on the podium.
One of the most inspiring aspects of the Olympics is hearing stories about athletes who faced huge hurdles in order to get where they are today. That Olympic medal often doesn’t materialize on your first try. Sometimes you need to keep showing up again and again before you reach your goal. The same can be said about online dating. One failed date or two doesn’t mean online dating won’t help you find the person you’re looking for – sometimes, you just have to keep trying.
4. Success requires commitment.
That’s to say, if you’re going to be successful as an elite athlete or online dater, you need to be committed. I’ve heard stories about people who got married to the first person they met on Tinder, but more often than not, it takes a concerted effort to get it right. Just like you wouldn’t expect to win an Olympic medal without training first, you can’t expect to meet people if you give up and stop trying. Finding love online isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. Stay on course and don’t give up.
5. Sometimes you think you’re having the performance of your life and then you get knocked down.
In both love and snowboarding, things happen. Sometimes you think everything is going swimmingly, only to have things go sideways (you get rejected, you fall down). Everyone experiences let downs. What’s important is that you get up, dust yourself off and keep going.
6. There’s an element of risk.
Luge is scary. Ski jumping is scary. Some people might say the same thing about meeting up with a date that you met on a dating app. Almost everything is scary if you don’t prepare properly. So, whether you’re heading face-first down an icy slope or meeting someone new, make sure you take the necessary safety precautions.
7. Good sportsmanship is essential.
We can’t all win, all the time. It just isn’t possible. Another thing to admire about Olympic athletes is how gracefully they accept loss. Maybe they go back to their rooms afterward and let it out, but when all eyes are on them, they’re good sports and treat their fellow athletes with respect. We could learn from these amazing humans. We all experience romantic disappointment from time to time, but don’t be a sore loser. Learning to accept rejection with grace will help build excellent dating karma.
