With just two sleeps to go, you might be gearing up for quite the milestone in the start of your relationship – Valentine’s Day.
And it might just be that you actually ended up with a partner as a result of you ramping up dating habits in order to lock in for 14 February. But that comes with all kinds of dating trends and practices, with an expert explaining why a particularly worrying one happens more around this time of year.
From ‘kitten-fishing’ to ‘carouselling’, there’s all kinds of names of things doing the rounds but it’s ‘avalanching’ that’s being dragged up now.
Sure, it seems accurate for it being bitterly cold outside but it can be a nightmare for daters.
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What is 'avalanching'?
According to a survey by FindingTheOne.com, a dating app focusing on real-life meets, a mega 79 percent of singletons admit to swiping right more in January in search of a Valentine as they fear being alone on 14 February.
That’s where ‘avalanching' comes in as expert Sylvia Linzalone says it’s basically this chaotic surge in dating app usage as people scramble to search for love.
She warns that the rush to find a match in time for the big lovey-dovey day could actually be counterproductive as daters may fall victim to ‘avalanching’.
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With it coming up, she explains: “The spike in January swiping is a natural response to societal expectations and the desire for companionship during a season focused on love. Being single on Valentine’s Day can be quite a disheartening time for some, especially if you’re surrounded by loved up friends who are eagerly making plans for fancy dinners and romantic getaways.”
However, Linzalone says that this rush may have some darker consequences as singletons become affected.
“People will be buried under a massive amount of new messages and interactions on dating apps this month, and that could lead to singles feeling overwhelmed and under pressure, as the sudden surge of attention hits,” she explains.
Singleton Fran from Colchester - who took part in the survey - adds: “I hate being alone on Valentine’s Day.
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“I’ve made it my mission to find someone by 14 February, so I’m going on out with my search on various dating apps – I’ve updated my photos and bio to make sure I stand out among the crowd, and I’m admittedly swiping right on people that I probably wouldn’t have a few months ago. Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
It’s not just those on the receiving end who are affected but also those doing the ‘avalanching’, Linzalone says.
“There’s the additional risk of feeling disappointed if those extra efforts that people put into finding a date for Valentine's Day don’t come to fruition.”
To avoid getting caught up in this chaos, the expert says we need to ‘embrace intentional dating’.
Linzalone advises focusing on ‘real life meets’ to make a change in your love life this year – no need to rush for Friday, take your time lads.
Topics: Valentine's Day, Dating trends, Sex and Relationships
Jess Battison