Here's Why 'Dating Sunday' Is The New Year’s Tradition You Didn’t Know You Needed

What Is Dating Sunday?

Although I do pride myself on knowing a lot about relationship-related stuff, I must admit that I was a late bloomer as it relates to Dating Sunday. I think it’s because I can honestly say that I have never used a dating app, for any reason, before.

It’s not that I’m against them, it’s just that — remember, I’m someone who doesn’t even have social media accounts, so…I just prefer more organic approaches to meeting people. That doesn’t mean that I knock dating online, though, because I actually know individuals who have used dating apps to meet their bae; plus, I’m aware of what statistics say about dating via cyberspace connections.

Okay, but I’m getting a little ahead of myself.

As far as what Dating Sunday is all about, it is what’s considered to be the busiest day of the year, as far as online dating goes, and it just so happens to go down on the first Sunday of the year — each and every year. This means that, in the year of our Lord, 2025, Dating Sunday will transpire on January 5. Interestingly enough, there is even a time on Dating Sunday when it seems that singles are the most active on apps.

When will it be this year? Approximately at 9:05 p.m. (EST), there will be a 40 percent uptick on various dating apps, including Match and Tinder (although if you would prefer to get on apps that cater especially to our demographic, there are ones like BLK, BlackPeopleMeet, BlackGentry, BlackCupid. Also, some dating experts say that Coffee Meets Bagel, OkCupid, Bumble, and sometimes Hinge have some good options for Black women. Oh, and First Round on Me is somewhat gaining in popularity, too — just an FYI).

And what if you are interested in meeting someone new, but you’re a bit hesitant or even leery about doing it online? Although it appears that Gen Z is using dating apps less than perhaps any other demographic, that doesn’t mean that dating online is obsolete.

Read on to see what I mean…

15 Things You Should Know About Online Dating (Stats-Wise)

In a world that’s full of opinions, both online, as well as offline, when it comes to making decisions that are personally best for you, it’s always a good idea to factor in some cold hard facts — and when it comes to dating apps and online dating, here are 15 statistics to keep in mind:

• Currently, the most popular dating apps are Tinder and Bumble
• Tinder has led to 25 percent of married or engaged couples who met online
• People ages 18-29 prefer Tinder, while those 30-64 prefer Match
• 31 percent of Black people, 28 percent of Hispanic individuals, and 29 percent of white folks have used dating apps before
• 56 percent of adults who use dating apps find them to be pretty safe
• 53 percent of adults who use dating apps say that the experience was positive
• 54 percent of women are overwhelmed by the messages that they receive on dating apps
• 42 percent of adults say that using dating apps has made finding a partner easier/more convenient
• 39 percent of dating app users make a relatively high income
• 54 percent of folks say that online dating relationships were just as successful as “in-person” ones
• One in 10 serious relationships met online
• 29 percent of dating app users find matches pretty quickly
• 26 percent of online daters aren’t looking for anything serious
• 19 percent of online daters are talking to 11 or more people at the same time
• It could take almost 4,000 swipes before you meet “your one” online

As you can see, as with most things in life, dating online is a bit of a mixed bag. Still, the actual research and data do reveal that so long as you keep your expectations realistic, it could prove to be at least somewhat of a wise investment of your time — so long as you keep the following pros and cons in mind.

3 Pros and 3 Cons to Online Dating in 2025

So, what are the (generalized) ups and downs that come with using apps in order to date?

PRO:

There’s no way around the fact that dating online is super convenient. You can engage with people at your leisure, whenever and from wherever works best for you — which is great, not just for those who have a hectic schedule, but also for individuals who may consider themselves to be introverted or shy. When you think about it, this also gives you more control when it comes to your privacy and how fast or slow you want to move when it comes to dating (online) as well.

CON:

Hands down, the misrepresentation of folks is a huge con; I mean, there wouldn’t have been the MTV show Catfish if that weren’t the case. I don’t just mean folks who lie about their looks either; there is also a good amount of scamming that goes down in the online dating world as well. For instance, I semi-recently read that as many as 70,000 people were “romance scammed” out of somewhere around $1.3 billion back in 2022, with 40 percent being contacted on social media and close to 20 percent on websites or apps. So yeah, keeping in mind that not everyone has the best of intentions is a good rule of thumb.

PRO:

You’re definitely going to have more access to a variety of people via dating apps — although, when you come to think about it, that can have pros and cons because if it really does take (whew) 4,000 swipes to meet your (long-term) boo, the process to get to them could be pretty overwhelming. Still, if you’re someone who is growing weary of the dating scene in your area, online dating can expose you to a whole ‘new world of possibilities.

CON:

Again, if it can take you close to 4,000 swipes to find someone who you’re really into, that means the same thing for others, which means that while there can be a lot of potential with online dating, there can also be quite a bit of rejection. If that is something that you know that you don’t handle well, dating apps may not need to be the dating route that you should take at this time.

PRO:

Something else that I would consider to be a plus about online dating is you have more than one way to communicate with folks — you can stick to direct messages, you can text, you can talk on the phone, you can video chat, and you can do all of these things, for as long as you want, before deciding to meet someone in person. Not only that but if you are engaging multiple individuals at the same time, based on your comfort level, you can talk to each one in a different way (meaning, you can strictly text with one and video chat with another).

CON:

Since you are interacting with more people, unwanted attention very well could spike. In fact, reportedly, on dating apps, close to 40 percent of individuals have unwanted sexual messages and/or images, 30 percent have been contacted by someone after saying they weren’t interested in them, and 24 percent have been called an offensive name. Yet even dating in person comes with its own pros and cons list, so be willing to somewhat keep an open mind that for every jerk, there can also be a true gem.

How to Prepare for Dating Sunday

And what if, after weighing in all that I just shared, you decide to make 2025 the year that you participate in Dating Sunday? Well, to get the most out of the experience, keep the following tips in mind:

Vet the apps beforehand. There are a lot of dating apps out here, and absolutely one size does not fit all. And so, spend some time researching, not just what are considered to be the best dating apps for each year but which ones are most suitable to your particular demographic, too. Luckily, online dating has been around for so long at this point that you can even find reviews on them via social media. For instance, if you go to TikTok and put “dating app reviews” (like these here, here, here, here, and here), you will get quite a bit of information from different opinions and perspectives to choose from.

Make sure your profile is on point. First impressions are always important — even more so when it comes to online dating. That said, please make sure that your pictures are clear and that you choose ones that showcase more than one side of your personality. Have a bio that is creative and enjoyable to read yet is also as detailed (in a concise way) as possible when it comes to who you are, your interests, and what you are looking for. And lawd, y’all, definitely check for grammar issues (like please use “your” and “you’re” accurately).

It’s also a good idea to go with a username that is easy to remember and reflects you well. Oh, and you should probably get someone you trust to read your finished product before going live — just to get an objective opinion.

Be honest. Stay realistic. Have fun. And finally, although it’s definitely going to work in your favor to go into online dating with a positive attitude, make sure that you are honest about your intentions, that you stay realistic about what to expect, and, more than anything else, that you don’t put a lot of pressure on yourself or the people who you connect with; instead, HAVE FUN! One way to make sure that all of this happens is to follow the advice of online dating experts who say that you can pretty much avoid dating app burnout by spending no more than 30 minutes a day on them.

That way, you can keep a fresh set of eyes on the profiles you are checking out, you can keep the content from overwhelming you, and if it takes a while to make a real connection because you’re only devoting a half-hour daily, you won’t feel like you are wasting a ton of your precious time.

___

I’ve already shared that 25 percent of folks on Tinder found their “forever” on the app. Reportedly, 35 percent on Hinge and 20 percent on Bumble have done the same. In comparison to the 15 percent of couples who met each other through mutual friends…what do you have to lose?

As Helen Keller once said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all,” chile. So, take a chance on Dating Sunday. At best, you’ll meet someone awesome. At worst, you’ll have some entertaining stories to tell. Promise you that!

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