I always thought that online dating wasn't for me. In real life, everything is simpler: you see a person, feel the atmosphere, notice the little things. But everything changed the moment I decided to try https://nikadate.com/  . At first, just for fun. But it was with this innocent step that the story began that changed my understanding of dating, relationships and myself.

At first, I was a little confused. How to describe myself in a few lines? What photos to choose? What to write so as not to seem too serious or, on the contrary, frivolous? But, after going through dozens of profiles and receiving the first messages, I realized: here everything is like in life - you need to be yourself. And this rule worked.

My first correspondence was easy, sometimes even silly, but each of them revealed something new in me. I learned to communicate, listen, not to rush to conclusions. Some people just wanted to talk, others immediately invited me on a date. And this is perhaps the main advantage of dating - you choose who and how to build contact. There is no pressure, no awkwardness, as is often the case with offline dating.

One of my most memorable acquaintances began with a simple phrase: "You smile with your eyes." That was the first time I felt that someone really saw me. We started texting, discussing music, travel, dreams and fears. It turned out that we had a lot in common, although at first glance we were completely different. A few days later we met - without expectations, just to walk around the evening city.

This meeting was surprisingly easy. We did not try to please, did not play roles. We were just ourselves. I remember laughing, looking at him and thinking: "This really works." We began to meet more often, spend weekends together, share plans. Every day it became clearer: online dating is not about random meetings, but about a real opportunity to find a kindred spirit.

During the entire time I used the app, I had unsuccessful dates and strange dialogues. But each such experience taught me something. I realized that I can say “no” if I feel uncomfortable. That I can write first. That I shouldn’t be afraid to be real. I stopped perceiving relationships as an obligation and began to see them as a space for growth.

Now we’ve been together for almost a year. Sometimes, looking at him, I still can’t believe that it all started with a couple of messages in the app. We travel, argue about tastes in cinema, cook each other breakfasts and make plans for the future. And I am immensely grateful to myself for the fact that one quiet evening, I simply downloaded Tinder and decided to try it.

Online dating has taught me a lot. I have become bolder, more attentive, more conscious. I understood what I want from a relationship and from myself. And that love can come not in a bookstore or at a party, but from a chat window where someone wrote: "Hey, how was your day?"

If you're wondering whether dating is worth trying - it is. Not because it guarantees a relationship. But because it gives a chance. A chance to get to know yourself, to discover others and, perhaps, to meet someone with whom you can walk more than one kilometer of life - together.