As we know by now, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we do almost everything in day to day life. Celebrating holidays is no different.

With Valentine’s day quickly approaching, it could be hard to find safe ways to celebrate the holiday, especially if you aren’t in a serious romantic relationship.

As someone who is very single and still trying to date during the pandemic, I have been looking for some fun ways to stay safe while also trying to meet new people.

How am I doing this you might ask?

Well, I’ve been attempting online dating through a few different dating platforms, such as Bumble, Hinge and Tinder.

Even though I’m not a huge fan of meeting people online, I really haven’t been able to see another option for myself since meeting people in person has been so difficult these days.

However, I have met a few people I have been interested in getting to know from these dating sites and I have some tips from these experiences that could help others in their COVID-19 dating escapades.

Before making plans with your prospective date, make sure you are both on the same page about safety concerns with COVID-19 and what each of you are comfortable with doing. Otherwise, things could get very awkward very fast.

One of my go-to options for meeting new people is to start out with a Zoom date.

FaceTime, Skype, Zoom or any other type of video communication platform are a simple and safe way to get to know someone you meet online. It allows you to see and hear them fully without the constraints of social distancing or wearing masks.

Zoom dates can be fun if you plan them out ahead of time. Something I like to do is to watch movies together and chat about them as we watch.This might feel awkward at first, but once you get into it, it can be a blast.

Another thing I like to do on Zoom dates is to cook the same recipe at the same time in our separate homes.

For this one, all you have to do is pick out a recipe you can both feasibly make, set a date and time and cook your meals together over Zoom.

A third option for virtual dating is to play online games over your Zoom call. 

Game platforms such as Jackbox and Houseparty have multiple options for fun online games you can play together over FaceTime. This can be both a fun and safe option, especially if one or both of you are competitive. 

My final date idea is for those of you that are comfortable leaving home to meet in person for a first date. The classic idea of going out to eat.

As long as you and your date stay six-feet-apart for social distancing during the meal and keep your masks on outside of eating, going out for dinner could work out well.

Dating during a pandemic is difficult for everyone, but it’s especially difficult for those of us still looking for our special someone. 

If you fall into that category, looking into some of these fun date ideas could make your Valentine’s Day a little more interesting.

Smith can be reached at [email protected]