Dating is tough enough already but tack on a global pandemic and the struggle is off the charts! While we get our regular temperature checks, let’s take one on the dating scene. With social distancing and mandatory masks, it’s harder than ever to find a new SO. Let’s face it, quarantine can be a lonely time. But maybe you can rest a little easier knowing we’re all feeling it too! We hope you’ll enjoy these, our top 20 reasons for why dating in 2020 is the best and the worst.

1. Ghosting rates are up. Big time.

2. The “what if something happened to them” worry is legit. #COVID #2020

3. You are more connected with old friends to laugh and cry about it all. #pandemiclife

4. Zoom happy hours with high school friends and college roommates are a thing that can lift spirits. If you can ignore the “hey, I think you are muted” and frozen screens, it’s almost like you are together.

5. New dating apps like Ship make it possible for friends to swipe for you and talk out matches if y’all aren’t able to see each other face to face.

6. Podcasts like Dating Sucks with Hinge and U Up break things down.

7. Some of us are making up our own rules. Check out this #apptodateme and this #DateLeon campaign.

8. With the pandemic, you have to have to legit ask “are you seeing other people?” waaay before you normally would. Like the safe sex talk but for kissing.

9. It’s a juggle to be safe and not super strict with pandemic rules. How do you take the date from six feet apart to monogamy without a whole lot of awkward talk in between?

10. Simply going to a restaurant/bar is not as chill as it once was.

11. Is it cool to temp check your date? #askingforafriend

12. Remember bridal and baby registries? NOW IS YOUR TIME.

13. It’s almost impossible to just “meet someone out and about” with the six-foot shuffle.

14. It’s easy to feel more alone than ever. Because, you are probably spending more alone time than ever.

15. There is a book club that includes wine juice boxes and you don’t have to pretend you “read it before” as the adult story time is part of the experience. P.S. Did someone say cocktails?

16. Masks make it hard to catch someone’s eye and then smile. Not to mention it can just look like you’re staring unless you do the “toddler wave.”

17. Your social budget is probably fueling some aggressive online shopping.

18. You can weed out the people that only want to “hang out” at 2 a.m. with a phone or Zoom call that might have been strange or awkward to ask for in 2019.

19. No matter how many bad dates you have, they probably won’t compare to the 30 bad dates Alex has in 30 days in Alexandra and the Awful, Awkward, No Fun, Truly Bad Dates, and she’s living her best life.

20. Oh, yes. About that. I know you wanted 20 of these. But it’s the 2020’s and you know, #disappointments and all!

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-Rebekah Manley, author of Alexandra and the Awful, Awkward, No Fun, Truly Bad Dates