May 14th is annual Online Romance Day! To honor this day, I want to say how I feel about it. Technology is a big part of our world, right?
I am a romantic. I know the rom-coms aren’t based in truth, and I watch them when I want to be lied to. I live for the meet-cute scenes, the coffee shop dates, and the phone calls that last all night. I reminisce about that special time between high school and my twenties when attraction was fun, you got to know each other, and you looked forward to first dates.
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Dating in Denver is very underwhelming. Statistically speaking (you know I love my facts), 61% of people over 20 years old are unmarried. (https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/02/13/denver-singles-hotspot-usa)
That’s a whole lot of single people looking for some connection.
That could be a booty call, a relationship, or just a date for the weekly farmers’ market. In my last relationship, we met through a friend. (It lasted 3 weeks). I have learned that whether you meet a person organically (at a bookstore, through a friend, or at CVS) or digitally, the result is the same.
I have dipped my toe into the online dating pool, and I find that staying safe as a woman is more manageable online. Yes, online dating can be scary, but as long as you have boundaries set up, you can control the narrative. Most dating websites have safety protections in place; you have a profile that may be filled with (lies or) truth, and you have a photo of the person that is verified. Seeing that verified box makes me feel better knowing I won’t get catfished.
I usually message a person I am interested in a few times on the dating app before I even give out my number. This makes me feel safer, and I am not the type to rush into romance. This causes heartbreak worse than indigestion, and I don’t have time for either pain. The last romantic online encounter I had lasted about five weeks (which I am convinced is the average man’s attention span in Denver).
We messaged for a week and a half online, then we exchanged numbers. We went on dates, we had deep conversations, and I thought it was actually going somewhere deeper than just dates and laughs. It did not, unfortunately. I actually deleted my dating profile afterward and have not touched a dating app since.
I am not sure what lesson to take away from it, besides the fact that it just didn’t work out. Sometimes that is the best answer to be okay with a resolution. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.
Maybe I was being protected by major drama I didn’t need. I think it’s amazing that we even have the option to meet people miles away and create a connection.
This wasn’t possible thirty-five years ago, and for that, I am relieved because dating in Denver is brutal. For this, I tip my hat and cheer on Online Romance Day.
What is your best/worst romance tale? Tell me in the comments! 👇🏽
