In 2022, Singaporean Singles Swiped Right On ‘Situationships’

For Singapore singles, the start of 2022 brought new excitement for getting back ‘out there’ with our collective resolve to make up for lost time during quarantine.

Now that the year is drawing to a close, Tinder’s Year in Swipe shares the top flirt flexes of the year. From new relationship labels and stances on social issues, to sober dating trends and the hot new emojis popping up in the chat, here’s the state of the date:

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1. "Situationship" was the in word of the year

Young singles were still down to play the field this year, but they opted for a high-quality roster where everyone was on the same page. More than a hookup, but not quite a traditional relationship, the “situationship,” a casual - yet clearly defined - relationship came to rise in 2022.

Tinder saw a 49% increase in members adding the new relationship intention to their profiles and over 1 in 10 surveyed young singles said they prefer situationships as a way to develop a relationship with less pressure. In Singapore, 50% of young adult dating app users surveyed also said they were in the mood for “casual dating”. 

2. ️ took top emoji spot on Tinder

Originally known as the parking symbol, ️ has been repurposed to represent Pushin P and was the number 1 trending emoji globally on Tinder this year. An interesting shift from the trending emojis of years past ( in 2019, in 2020, and in 2021), members turned to ️ to let the world - and their matches know ‘positivity’ and keeping it real is exactly what they’re looking for.

Singaporean daters also share this sentiment, with the majority feeling “hopeful” (61%) and “excited” (56%) about their dating future. Some of the popular emojis used by these young singles to express their outlook on Tinder include ✨ and ✈, signalling that they are ready to look on the bright side when it comes to dating and explore connections outside of their home country.

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3. Dinner and drinks less so

It seems the activities we took to during the pandemic are here to stay. Young adult Singaporean singles cited simple hangouts such as “taking a walk” (64%) and “grabbing coffee” (64%) as some of their favourite first date activities this year, suggesting that singles are meeting for more than just dinner and drinks these days.

They’re opting for less traditional, more authentic and sometimes sober ways to get to know one another. Other creative activities like Camping, BBQs, Trying New Things, and Street Food all made it into the top 10 trending global Interests on Tinder.

4. Sobriety was the new green flag

Alcohol-free dates have become a way for singles to be more authentic on dates and to challenge traditional dating norms. Over 25% of surveyed young singles on Tinder said they drink less on dates compared with last year, and when describing their drinking habits, 72% of members said on their Tinder profiles that they don’t drink or only drink occasionally. In fact, the and emojis each decreased (40% and 25% respectively) on Tinder profiles year-on-year.

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5. Being Funny, Fresh, and Forward was sexy AF

A sense of humour was what members looked for most when reading a potential matches profile, and 73% of young singles surveyed across all genders said they were looking for someone who is clear about what they want and has good hygiene.

When asked what the most important characteristics are in a potential date, young singles prioritised value-based qualities like loyalty (79%), respect (78%) and open-mindedness (61%) over looks (56%). Similarly, Singaporean singletons are looking for matches who “they can trust and confide in” (80%), “are open minded and accepting” (77%), and “can make them laugh” (72%)

6. Stances on social issues could make or break a match

Three-quarters (75%) of singles were looking for a match who is respectful of or invested in social issues. 

Additionally, the Activism and Voters Rights Interests both increased (84% and 37% respectively) in Tinder profiles this year. In Singapore, young adult singles named “sharing the same values” (67%) and “fighting for what they believe in” (45%) as some of the most important qualities they look for in matches.

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7. Nostalgia stanning was a flex

Young singles are getting inspo from 90s and noughties dating trends. The fastest growing interests on Tinder were blasts from the past like 90’s Kid, Anime, and Sneakers. Even everyone’s favourite new old song, Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill'' made a comeback and was in the top 10 Spotify Anthems noted on Tinder profiles.

Tinder's modern take on the traditional Blind Date also launched for the hotter months. The Blind Date feature on Tinder paired members before allowing them to view each other's profile and was used 200,000 times a day on average. It’s been a tough few years, and it looks like singles are turning to the authenticity and good vibes of a pre-smartphone world.

8. The (red flag) & (gaslighting) emojis were trending for good reason

Toxic relationships aren’t new, but all of the tips and psychoanalysis on social media show that young singles are more clued up about the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to dating. Over half (58%) of surveyed young singles said they were confident they could identify a green or red flag when dating. In 2022, singles have finally had enough and are dishing on what they consider red and green flags, and all of our BS radars have gotten better because of it. A true public service.

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9. Racking up the miles with revenge travel

After two pandemic-filled trips around the sun, singles were finally able to get back to exploring new horizons with fewer or no restrictions. On Tinder, 18-25 year olds passported on average 9 times a month. When jetting off virtually to look for their perfect match, Singaporean daters tend to go for their “neighbours”, securing Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok as their top two Passport destinations. Meanwhile, Seoul is in third place, as the K-Wave seems to have swept over the Singaporean singletons.

10. When in doubt, astrology saved the day

Amidst uncertainty and a triple mercury retrograde in 2022, singles were looking to the stars for guidance. Star signs were the most popular type of descriptor added to Tinder bios behind smoking preferences, pets and diet. Leos, Scorpios and Cancers were the signs most likely to include their sign in their bios, and surprisingly, all star signs were most likely to match with the exact same zodiac sign.

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