What is Fast-Forwarding? The new dating trend is set to takeover 2022

With dating comes a lot of trends, some can be seriously toxic like situationships and ‘cookie jarring’ while others can come with a change in the times, from societal shifts to social media and even just growing up. According to Bumble (opens in new tab), there’s a new trend emerging as a result of the pandemic—and it’s called 'Fast Forwarding.'

What is 'Fast-forwarding?'

Essentially it means you’re looking to the future, deciding what those plans look like, whether your partner fits, and looking out for all those dating green flags. 

Bumble says this trend started emerging after the pandemic and is set to be a big trend in 2022.  

According to the dating app, 34% of users surveyed say the pandemic has ‘drastically changed’ what they’re looking for in a partner—because let's be honest, we had a lot of time to sit around and think about it.

Many also said they’re now prioritizing emotional availability, with over a quarter saying they’re caring less about appearances. Basically, the pandemic has made us all way more open to serious relationships, and if these last two years have taught any of us anything, it's that being stuck with someone 24/7 who you don’t connect with can be a real drag. 

Naomi Walkland, Head of Bumble UK & Ireland, said: “If 2020 was the year of reflection, 2021 has been a year of discovery and we expect to see that continue into the new year. Along with rediscovering some of our favorite date spots, we’ve seen that people on Bumble are looking to discover new people, new priorities, and explore new ways of dating.

“As we head into the new year, our dating lives are a blank page, and this makes for an exciting time to try something new. It could be changing what we prioritize in a partner, being more intentional about when we date, or just sharing the activities we love. With half of the single people looking to ‘reset’ their dating, we anticipate that coming months will be big for romance.”

This info shows that singletons may be looking for more emotionally mature, and stable relationships, with people they can really see themselves in the future.