Virtual dating FOMO is real. But don't feel pressured if it's not for you.

There's a specific blend of nervous excitement that accompanies the run-up to a first date. 

Back in the time before COVID-19, that nervousness happened in the rush of getting ready to go out. It might feel like a lifetime ago now, but I would always get a jolt of butterflies as I swept makeup brushes across my face, or surveyed which outfit to make my grand entrance in. 

Try as I might, I just can't muster that same rush at the prospect of a virtual date — which is basically a date that happens over video call rather than in person. 

Like almost every aspect of our lives, dating has changed drastically in recent months. With this new version of dating, a whole host of unfamiliar emotions have arrived. Those feelings include intense panic, frustration, and sadness if major life plans like finding a partner and starting a family have been put on hold for the time being. You might be feeling a newfound yearning for human touch, or perhaps a longing to be hugged because of a neurological phenomenon called 'skin hunger' that's been exacerbated by the pandemic. Loneliness and feelings of isolation have been heightened for people living alone. Read more...