Right before spring break a close friend of mine rushed up to me all excited that she met a guy. Instantly I was happy for her, and as girls do, I asked her all about him and how she met him.

Then she said she had not officially met him yet, but he had been her match on Tinder, a popular “dating” app. Although I was happy for her, I was skeptical.

I have never been one for online dating. I have heard the facts and results about sites like eHarmony and Match.com. But I remained unconvinced even though I have a cousin who met her husband online. Four kids and nine years later, they are still happy as can be.

Most college students do not have an online dating profile. However, Tinder has been gaining popularity, especially around college campuses like UW-Eau Claire.

If you haven’t tried the app it is pretty simple to understand, it is similar to “Hot or Not.”

A person’s picture pops up on your screen, if you like what you see, swipe right, if you don’t like what you see, swipe left. If you swipe right and the other person swipes right, then you have a match.

The beauty of Tinder is how simple it is. It matches you based on your GPS location and links up to your Facebook so you are able to see mutual friends and common interests.

Countless friends of mine have tried the app, and a few have actually met dates or relationships through it.  I was still skeptical, but I was seeing more of the positive side.

While I may not like the app or the idea of online dating, others can list many benefits. It’s the same way of talking to someone at a club or party.

If you like them at first glance, chances are you will talk to them. Other people cannot see if you ‘like’ them if they do not like you. So in the long run it is not an embarrassing app.

Also you are only able to contact someone if it is a match, so you do not get bombarded with different messages.

Where there are pros, there are also cons.  First of all, not everyone on the app is looking for relationships. For some users, Tinder is just a shortcut for sex.  Also, some reviews relate the app to an addictive game. It is very easy to forget about the person you were talking to yesterday.

In the long run it comes down to personal choice. I will admit after seeing so many of my friends having success from the site in recent weeks, I am less skeptical about the app. Seeing their exposure with Tinder was a first-hand learning experience, but not everyone on the app is there for a quick laugh.

If it doesn’t work out with one person, just wait a short time. Chances are your next match will pop up shortly.