‘Summer of love’: Forget the dating app stigma, 2 out of 3 say you can fall in love before meeting

It's officially dating season if you haven't heard, and that doesn't mean you have to ditch your dating apps.

Two out of three people say they believe you can fall in love before meeting in person, according to a new survey released by Bumble. Bumble, the locally founded online dating app that allows women to make the first move, says its newly released survey "reveals how the pandemic has changed dating" headed into the "summer of love."

As COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease in parts of the country and around the Lone Star State, the company says that 91% of those surveyed believe that there is no longer a stigma attached to online dating compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. And more than two-thirds think it's possible to fall in love with someone that they've never met in person before.

Bumble users have also adapted to coronavirus-related restrictions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the survey says.

Clare O'Connor, head of content at Bumble, said that 1 in 3 users said that they liked virtual dates because it saves them time and money and 1 in 4 users surveyed said they liked that they only have to get partially ready when going on a video date.

For those wanting to play it safe heading out the door, O'Connor said that soon, users will be able to add a badge to their Bumble profile that says "vaccinated."

So what should you do if trying to get back in the dating scene?

O'Connor's advice is to "seasonalize" your Bumble profile by updating your photos to show your personality.

Let's get dating!