Safety First

Ted Bundy would have been on Tinder. That is not to say that every person you match with is going to lure you to their car and kill you, in fact, that percentage is very, VERY slim. It is still important to be careful when meeting up with people for the first time. Here is a list of tips that can help make sure everything goes smoothly. 

*For a quick read, follow the bold!

Figure Out What They Are Looking 

Everybody is looking for something different on Tinder. Hook-ups, long-term relationships, a parent for their dog/cat, casual friends with benefits, not-so-casual friends with benefits, a third in a marriage and a friend are just some to name a few. The point is you are not going to be wanting the same thing as every person you match with. 

It’s important to ask what it is specifically the lucky person who you swiped right on is wanting out of this meet and greet. If you want a long-term relationship and they just want a hook-up, it could put you in a sketchy situation when meeting up later. The person could become upset and violent for wasting their time or try to coerce you into doing something you do not want to do. 

Better to lay out what you are looking for and to understand what they want as well so there is no confusion. 

My Place or Yours?

Ah, the question that is as old as time. You’ve decided that you want to meet up, but now have to figure out where exactly that meeting will be. Ideally, it would be best to meet up with them in public first, but if your intentions are a one-night stand, that might be a little awkward.

Figure out if they have roommates that are going to be home, or if your roommates are going to be home. Having other people around can help ensure that nothing bad is going to happen. No one is going to try anything if they know Britney or Chad is going to come rushing into the room. 

Ideally, a public location is best, but always make sure someone knows your whereabouts.

Share Your Location

Even if you trust the person and believe nothing bad is going to happen, do yourself a favor and share your location with your friends. Let them know who you are going to see, where you will be going, and whether they should expect you to get home at a certain time. 

It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Listen To Your Gut

Maybe you’re just texting back and forth and they start saying some questionable things, or maybe you’re at their place and you are getting an uneasy feeling. Listen to your gut. If you feel unsafe or uncomfortable, do NOT dismiss it as nervousness and anxiety. The subconscious picks up on things that the conscious brain does not. If the little voice in your head is screaming that something is off, doesn’t feel right, etc, LISTEN TO IT! 

Have an escape route in case your gut is telling you to get the hell out of there. 

Be Confident 

It sounds silly, but being confident can aid in your safety, as well. Know that whoever it is you are meeting up with is not entitled to your time and is not superior to you in any way. Be confident in yourself and firm in your boundaries. Too often have people given into whatever their Tinder match wants because they think how lucky they are to have so-and-so even talking to them. 

Own your stuff! And remember you do not owe anyone anything if you do not want to.