A Tinder Tale: That time I went on my first ever date at the age of 25 and ended up with a horrific hangover... (2024)

I’ll begin this post by admitting that I just Googled the words “dating definition” and was met with this supposed meaning of dating someone: “If you are dating someone, you go out with them regularly because you are having, or may soon have, a romantic relationship with them.” LOL.

I’m not sure how I would define dating these days to be completely honest. I was rather late to the dating game as I was in a seven-year relationship from the age of 18. We’ll call him Mr. Wonderwall. I split up with Mr. Wonderwall two and a half weeks after my 25th birthday. It was brutal. I cheated on him six-and-a-half years into our relationship (that’s a tale for another day) and at the time of our breakup, I felt like my right arm had been torn off. I had lived with him since I was 19, his family was my family, and vice versa. It was messy, it was painful and it was life-changing.

I had zero interest in “moving on” or dating for almost 11 months after that split, but sometime in late 2013 Tinder ended up on my radar. The infamous dating app officially launched in September 2012 (when I was on a make-or-break holiday with Mr. Wonderwall in Los Angeles) so I was introduced to it just over a year later, but I still remember it being all the rage. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the name of my very first date, but fuck me (no pun intended) was it a memorable one… ish.

We’ll call him Mr. Tinder.

A Tinder Tale: That time I went on my first ever date at the age of 25 and ended up with a horrific hangover... (1)

I arranged to meet Mr. Tinder at The Crown and Shuttle, a pub on Shoreditch High Street. I was working at a national newspaper nearby at the time (the job that literally saved me post break-up with Mr. Wonderwall) so I wasn’t too far from the pub and persuaded a close male friend of mine, we’ll call him my Scenester (it’s our real-life nickname for each other) to meet me for some Dutch courage drinks as soon as I finished work at 4pm. BIG mistake. I downed several glasses of vino on an empty stomach, nagged Scenester to do a shot of Sambuca with me, and the next thing it was 6.30pm and Mr. Tinder was walking towards me as Scenester was waving goodbye.

I stupidly decided it was a good idea to drink more vino. I think we got a bottle of rosé, but it was already too late - I was completely wasted and one of the last things I remember about the date was falling over backwards on the pavement outside the pub and Mr. Tinder having to help me up. As he walked me to Liverpool Street station, we’d stop every 30 seconds or so for a very public snog, and the next thing I recall was someone waking me up on the Hammersmith & City line in Plaistow. For context, Plaistow is a suburb in east London and I lived in my hometown of Harrow - GREATER LONDON - at the time, a 50-minute or so tube ride. Basically, I can’t remember getting on the tube, but I clearly stumbled onto any platform and took the next train - completely unaware of where I was going.

I’m ashamed to say, that wasn’t the only time I had to be woken up by a stranger that night. And to make matters worse, in my drunken state, I had fallen asleep with my phone in my hand, and by the time someone gave me a nudge at Wembley Park station, I realised it had been stolen while I was snoring my heart out on the Metropolitan Line. Therefore, I had no way of setting an alarm for work the next day and considering I was drunk as a fucking skunk, I knew there was no way I’d wake up naturally at 6am - cue accidental sick day and a panicked Facebook message from my bestie, who I worked with at the time.

The next day - with a horrific hangover - I dragged myself to the O2 store and managed to get a new phone and everything transferred over blah blah blah… And surprisingly there was a text from Mr. Tinder. I was genuinely stunned that he wanted to go on a second date after my drunken tumble, but he did - so I agreed and promised myself that I would avoid alcohol completely.

Long story short, in the cold (and sober) light of day - I did not fancy this man. As we sat opposite one another in a Vietnamese restaurant somewhere in East London, I vaguely remember him bragging about how expensive his designer wallet was and telling me he had shared custody of a dog with his ex. Halfway through dinner, I excused myself to go to the bathroom and frantically started texting my big sister for advice on how to avoid another snog - which I was sure he thought was on the cards.

However, it turns out he was expecting to spend the night with me instead. As we strolled back to Liverpool Street Station, he made a point of showing me his overnight bag and moaned about how he was staying at his uncle’s outside of London for the time being. Hint, hint?!

Somehow I avoided the dreaded snog, gave him a quick hug, and hastily made my way to the Metropolitan Line - this time nice and sober and certain that I wasn’t bothered about a third date. I honestly can’t recall if I ghosted Mr. Tinder or if I sent a polite text - but I do remember him popping up on my Facebook a few years later as People You May Know and his profile picture was him on his wedding day - so I guess he found his happy ending?!

I’ve been on a billion first dates since then - or at least that’s what it feels like. To mark 365 days of living in New York City, I decided to go on one a few days ago with a guy I recently matched with on Bumble. As far as first dates go, I’d say it was a success - A.K.A. it didn’t end with me falling over or vomiting on myself.

Drunk stories aside though, dating is a funny old game. It can be exciting, it can be nerve-racking, and it can be bloody exhausting. However, the older I get, the less nervous I feel about going on first dates because, best case scenario: I meet my “soulmate” (a girl can dream), and worst case scenario: I have a funny story to tell. And remember, no good story starts with a salad.

I can’t draw the comparisons between dating in London and dating in NYC just yet, but what I will tell you is there’s idiots on both sides of the Atlantic (shock horror) - including a man who recently told me to only text him when I was “100% available to communicate” - simply because I took 45 minutes to reply to him. But I shall delve into those bright red flags another day…

Ciao for now!

Thirsty Kirsty x

A Tinder Tale: That time I went on my first ever date at the age of 25 and ended up with a horrific hangover... (3)

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A Tinder Tale: That time I went on my first ever date at the age of 25 and ended up with a horrific hangover... (2024)

FAQs

Is it wrong to lie about your age on Tinder? ›

Is It Illegal To Lie About Your Age on Dating Apps? It is not illegal to lie about your birth date or provide false information on an online dating app like Tinder or eHarmony. However, in misrepresenting your age, you will have violated the Terms of Service of those respective apps.

What age gets most matches on Tinder? ›

Women on Tinder have a higher match rate at 10%, while men have a match rate of 0.6%. The average age of Tinder users is 26, with the most prevalent age group being 25-34.

How do I fix my age on Tinder? ›

Your name and age are the only pieces of your profile you can't update once you've created an account. ... That said, we understand typos are real! If you need to update one or both, you can delete your account and start over.

Is lying about your age a red flag? ›

Dating Red Flag #1: Lying and dishonesty.

This could include lying about their job, past relationships, or age.

Why do guys put the wrong age on Tinder? ›

In a nutshell, it's a tactic used by men to lure in younger women. But here's the flaw in your plan, fellas. If a woman sets her age range for matches at 30-45, it means she's looking for someone under the age of 45. If she wants to date a 50- or a 60-year-old, she'll set her age range for matches appropriately.

What is the male to female ratio on Tinder? ›

Concerning the gender ratio: Tinder has the worst with 21.9% women and 78.1% men. While Badoo has 35% women and 65% men. Bumble seems to have the most balanced ratio out of the three at around 43% women and 57% men.

Which dating app has the highest success rate? ›

  • Best Dating Apps And Sites For Serious Relationships.
  • Bumble.
  • Tinder.
  • Coffee Meets Bagel.
  • Hinge.
  • Facebook Dating.
  • happn.
  • Plenty of Fish.
May 20, 2024

How many matches does the average girl get on Tinder? ›

While it can depend, women who are in the top 10% of Tinder users (ie, those who receive most matches), match roughly 5 times a day. Some can even match significantly higher, with roughly a dozen per day. Even those in the bottom 10% will still generally match roughly once a day.

Is Tinder or Bumble better? ›

If you're looking for a heterosexual relationship and like the idea of the woman taking initiative, Bumble may be your best bet. However, if you're a heterosexual single and want the flexibility to make the first move or wait for your match to do so, Tinder may be a more fitting choice.

How does Tinder confirm your age? ›

To begin, open Tinder and select the option to verify your age. We'll ask you to submit your ID to a third-party website that we use to verify age. Once your ID has been reviewed and we've confirmed you're 18+, we'll update your birthday and lift the restriction, so you can continue with signup.

Can I search for someone on Tinder? ›

Tinder doesn't have a search function that lets you look for people you haven't matched with. However, if you've already matched with someone, you can search for them in your list of matches.

What is the average age on Tinder? ›

What's the average age of Tinder users? The average age of Tinder users is 26 years old.

Can I delete Tinder and start again? ›

Can you recover deleted Tinder account? The simple answer is no. Unlike other sites that give you a “cooling off” period during which you can change your mind, Tinder will delete your profile permanently if you ask them to. You can start a new account at any time, but you won't be able to get your old matches back.

Can you filter age on Tinder? ›

Click on "Discovery Preferences." In the page that opens, you can see everything about your "people discovery" option. To select the age range in which you see profiles around you, you need to adjust the "Show Ages" slider at the bottom of the page. Then, use it the same way.

Should I show my age on Tinder? ›

The minimum age requirement for Tinder is 18 years old. Depending on your location, you may be required to verify your age to prove that you're 18 years or older and comply with our Terms of Use.

Does Tinder make you verify your age? ›

With the new ID verification option, Tinder will match your photo on the ID to the pictures on your profile. It will also look at the birthday on your ID to verify you're at least 18 years old, per Tinder policy, and that your listed age is accurate.

Is it OK to lie about your age on an application? ›

If an employer asks you your age, it may be tempting to lie to make yourself look more appealing as a candidate, but this has its risks, as if you are hired, they'll find out about your age and are often allowed to fire you for lying on your application.

Can a girl get in trouble for lying about her age? ›

So we legally conclude, even if it seems unfair, that somebody who is 17½ and lies and says they're 19 and has a fake ID and a fake draft card, whatever they present to you to prove they're over 18, it doesn't matter. You could still be charged, convicted and jailed.

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