How To Date While Practicing Responsible Social Distancing During The Coronavirus Pandemic
Date successfully in the midst of COVID-19.
Mimi Thian/unsplash There is truly nothing like a global pandemic as a rude awakening to put your professional life in its place and focus on what is important: Your primary relationship and human connections.
After all, you need someone to quarantine and go into isolation with together, preferably someone you love.
As a personal matchmaker working with singles over the past nearly nine years, my heart goes out to the single men and women who are facing the coronavirus pandemic alone.
Is there dating advice appropriate for this anxious time?
Aside from the obvious physically at-risk groups of our society, the single women and men of the world are mentally being hit hard.
Self-quarantines are a lot easier and less anxiety-inducing when you do it with a significant other — boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife — or a family member.
For the lone-single-soldiers out there, the upcoming weeks may be tough, but remember: Connecting is vital to your mental health.
In fact, it holds a much higher importance now more than ever during these uncertain times.
Luckily, here are 2 dating tips that will not only help you form a connection, but also allow you to practice responsible social distancing while you're in quarantine and isolation during this pandemic.
1. Go on a romantic virtual date.
A virtual date is a fantastic option for those who need to self-quarantine or have severely limited their social contact as a result of the factors listed above.
With inspiration from the Netflix hit show, "Love Is Blind", non-conventional dating can yield success and a virtual date can act as a beautiful and stress-free way of connecting with someone.
But how can a virtual date be sexy? Here are the ways.
Set an actual date and time.
When you are setting up a virtual date with a potential partner, treat it as an actual in-person date.
Schedule a specific date and time... and be on time!
Get ready like it's in-person.
Do your makeup, make sure your hair is looking lush and fabulous, put on your favorite outfit, and wear your favorite shoes (whether they be heels or loafers).
Will your feet be shown on the video chat? No. But everyone knows that when you look good, you feel good. And when you feel your best, you will bring your playful, flirty self to your date.
This goes for men, too. Take your time to prepare by doing your hair, wearing your favorite outfit, and spritzing your best cologne so that you bring your A-game.
Set the mood.
Do you love wine? Pour yourself a glass of a good white, red, or sparkling and have it on hand. Do you love Frank Sinatra? Put some light music on in the background.
Test drive your lighting situation with a friend and make sure that you have a strong wifi signal, so you don’t miss a beat.
Remember that everyone looks best when the light shines on them from in front of the computer screen. Avoid backlighting — it makes everyone look less than their typical beautiful self.
Verbally affirm your date.
Since you lack physical contact during a virtual date, use your words instead. Verbally affirm your date and tell her how pretty she looks, how excited you are to be chatting with him, or what a gentleman he seems to be.
Actively listen, engage, flirt, laugh, have fun, and ask a lot of questions.
Have a definitive end to the date.
Even though you will meet virtually, once you finish one or two glasses of wine, feel free to let your match know that you had a wonderful time, but that you need to run and walk the dog, or get to bed early.
A two-hour date is more than enough time for a virtual date so you can maintain your time boundaries, even though you feel comfortable in your own home.
You want to keep the option for the second date open. Maybe by then, the government will lift the quarantine suggestions and you can even meet in-person!
2. Go on a health-conscious date.
If you elect to meet in person, be diligent with the below suggestions. We need to exercise discernment and balance — it is our duty to also keep the economy alive and restaurants will very much appreciate the business.
You can expect even the typically busiest of restaurants to have a reservation open for you and be a whole lot quieter. While social distancing is important, we still want to do our part in supporting local businesses and the economy.
You can help achieve that by keeping restaurants afloat and doing the following.
Transport yourself.
Instead of taking public transportation, take your own car to avoid unnecessary human contact. If you are taking an Uber, be sure to sanitize! Open the windows if possible, and don’t be ashamed to wipe down the seats and car door handle before taking your ride.
Be picky with your restaurant selection.
At our matchmaking firm, we pre-select restaurants that we have confirmed to be enacting an elevated sanitation protocol due to COVID-19.
On your end, be sure to do additional research on a restaurant before making reservations for you and your date; you can even give them a call to ask about their sanitary procedures.
Feel free to bring a personal hand sanitizer and hand wipes to wipe down surfaces to alleviate any anxieties.
Practice social distancing.
While still important for you to have human interaction, you should avoid shaking hands or hugging one another upon meeting. Sit across the table from each other instead of directly next to each other or near each other or others at the bar.
For our clients, we have begun requesting a table away from other patrons, but feel free to reiterate your desire to the host or hostess if they seat you near other patrons.
Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.
When you enter the restaurant, feel free to head straight to the bathroom to wash your hands before enjoying your date.
With that said, while socially connecting is vital, it's important to put your health and everyone's health first. Take the option of a virtual date if:
- You've had any known contact with someone with coronavirus
- Experience any symptoms of illness
- Have traveled within the last 14 days
- Live with or are in close contact with anyone in an at-risk group
If you are healthy, social distancing on your own, don’t have interaction with at-risk groups, and crave basic human interaction, by all means, go on a health-conscious date.
In these uncertain times, connecting is more important than ever, so do not let the mass hysteria or supermarket shoppers dismantle your efforts, whether in the safety of your own home or at a pre-determined restaurant following strict sanitary procedures.
Wishing you all health and success during this (hopefully short) break from reality!
Alessandra Conti & Cristina (Conti) Pineda are the women behind Matchmakers In The City, a top certified personal matchmaking firm in Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Reach out to them with any questions or concerns about your dating life and how to find the right "one" for you!