Hey there! I'm Yuna Kawamura, a third-year university student. Today, I'm sharing the complete guide for Gen Z university students to master dating apps. Honestly, everyone around me uses them, but surprisingly many aren't having much success.
I initially struggled too, barely getting any matches and thinking, "Maybe I should just stick to meeting people IRL..." But after lots of research and trial-and-error, I now consistently get around 50 matches per month!
In this article, I'll share all the methods that actually worked for me. These are genuinely effective techniques, so please read till the end!
The Reality of Dating App Usage Among Gen Z University Students
First, let me share the real situation of how we Gen Z university students use dating apps. From my observation, about 70% of my friends use some kind of dating app.
Everyone says things like "Dating apps are so..." while secretly using them (lol). Especially after COVID increased online classes and reduced real-life encounters, more people started using them.
But once they start, many find it harder than expected. Lots of my friends complain about "no matches," "conversations dying," or "never meeting in person."
Popular Dating Apps Ranking
Here's a ranking of popular apps among university students, based on a poll I did on my Instagram story (234 responses):
1. Pairs - More serious, user-friendly
2. With - Fun psychological tests
3. Tinder - Casual and easy
4. Tapple - Connect through hobbies
5. Bumble - Women message first
Personally, I recommend Pairs or With for serious relationships, Tinder or Tapple for starting as friends. Bumble's great for proactive women!
The Art of Profile Creation
Profile creation is THE most important thing on dating apps. It's not an exaggeration to say 90% of your success depends on this. When I properly crafted mine, my match rate tripled!
Photo Selection Tips
Let's start with photo selection. This is seriously crucial. Here's my photo strategy:
Main photo: Clear smiling face shot
Sub photo 1: Full body shot (shows your style)
Sub photo 2: Enjoying a hobby
Sub photo 3: With friends (shows sociability)
Sub photo 4: With pets or fan merchandise for conversation starters
NG photos include: Over-filtered (careful with SNOW), hidden face, poor quality, with opposite gender. Especially avoid Instagram story screenshots - the quality is terrible!
Writing Your Bio
Next, bio writing - also super important! I rewrote mine many times before settling on the current version. The key points are "approachability" and "specificity."
My bio structure:
1. Brief introduction (university, major, year)
2. Hobbies and interests (be specific!)
3. How I spend weekends
4. Dating philosophy and ideal dates
5. Closing message to matches
For example, instead of "I like movies," write "Marvel superfan who's watched all Avengers movies at least 3 times!" Specific details create conversation starters.
Also, don't overuse emojis! 1-2 is perfect. Emoticons look outdated, so better avoid them.
Secret Tricks to Boost Match Rates
Now for the tricks that actually boosted my match rate. Surprisingly, many people don't know these!
Target Active Hours
The time you use the app matters tremendously. From my analysis, university students are active during:
Weekdays: 12:00-13:00 (lunch), 18:00-24:00 (evening)
Weekends: 11:00-14:00 (afternoon), 20:00-24:00 (night)
Sending likes during these times increases the chance of immediate notice. Sunday nights are especially good - everyone's bored thinking "School tomorrow..."
Profile Updates for Higher Visibility
This is lesser-known, but regularly updating your profile makes you appear higher in search results. I update weekly - swapping photos or tweaking my bio.
Minor updates work fine. Add "currently into," adjust for seasons. This alone increases exposure and match rates!
Utilize Community Features
Pairs and With have community features. These are incredibly useful! Joining communities matching your interests increases matches with like-minded people.
My recommended communities:
- "Love cafe hopping"
- "Want to Netflix together"
- "Stan culture enthusiasts"
- "Started working out"
- "Travel lovers"
But don't join too many - 5-10 is best to avoid seeming desperate.
Messaging Techniques
After matching comes messaging. So many people fail here. I used to just send "Hey" and get ignored constantly (crying).
The Golden Rules for First Messages
First messages are crucial! Here's my golden formula:
1. Reference their profile
2. Highlight commonalities
3. End with a question (makes replying easy)
4. Not too long or short (3-5 lines ideal)
Example: "Hi! I noticed we're both Marvel fans from your profile 😊 I'm also obsessed with MCU and have watched all the recent series! What's your favorite movie?"
This makes replying easy and provides conversation topics.
Keeping Conversations Going
People who can't maintain conversations usually: interrogate with questions, only talk about themselves, reply too fast or slow...
What I focus on:
- Match their reply speed
- One question per message max
- Expand on their topics
- Occasionally send photos (food pics etc.)
- Don't double-text if left on read
Especially important is expanding their topics. Don't just say "Oh really!" but continue with "Does that mean...? I had a similar experience..." to naturally extend conversations.
The Journey to Meeting IRL
Once messaging goes well, next comes meeting in person. This is the most nerve-wracking part. I was terrified at first too.
Timing the Date Invitation
Date timing is tricky. Too early seems pushy, too late kills momentum... From experience, the best timing is:
1-2 weeks after matching
20-30 message exchanges
3 days to 1 week after LINE exchange
When conversation's flowing, naturally suggest "I'd love to chat in person sometime." Start with "coffee" rather than jumping to "date!"
First Date Location Selection
Location choice matters! My recommendations:
1. Cafes (easy to talk, easy to leave)
2. Aquariums/Zoos (never run out of topics)
3. Movies + dinner (discuss the film)
4. Shopping (learn their preferences)
5. Seasonal events (fireworks, illuminations)
Avoid: immediate drinks, their place, car drives. Safety first - choose crowded places!
First Date Precautions
First dates are nerve-wracking. Here's what I focus on:
- Keep it 2-3 hours (not too long)
- Dress cleanly (not too flashy)
- Minimize phone checking
- Actually listen to them
- Remember to smile
- Suggest splitting the bill (thank them if they insist on paying)
Also, share your location with friends. Safety measures are important!
Gen Z-Specific Cautions
Finally, let's cover points especially important for us Gen Z. Being the SNS generation creates unique pitfalls.
Careful with Social Media
I understand wanting to immediately check the SNS of someone you matched with. But be careful not to overdo it!
My fail story: I found a match's Instagram and liked a 3-year-old post, got instantly blocked... They thought I was stalking (crying)
Keep SNS checking moderate. Wait until they share it with you.
Photo Handling
You'll want to post date photos on Instagram. But posting their face without permission is NG! I always ask "Can I post this on Insta?"
Also, don't send dating app screenshots to friends. Respecting privacy is basic manners.
Balancing with Stan Culture
This is such a Gen Z thing - balancing stan activities with dating is hard (lol). I once almost had my bias's concert clash with a first date and panicked.
Best to be honest about your stan activities and find someone understanding! Hiding it will backfire later, and it won't work with someone who doesn't get it.
Summary: Enjoy Dating Apps!
This got long, but I've shared everything I learned about dating apps! It might seem difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's fun.
The important thing is "staying true to yourself." Pretending to be someone else never lasts. Find someone who likes the real you!
Dating apps are just the starting point for meeting. After that, it's like real-life dating. Don't rush, have fun, and find wonderful encounters.
Thanks for reading till the end! Wishing everyone amazing meetings ✨
