With Valentine’s Day around the corner, loved-up couples will be making romantic plans and looking for the perfect gift for their partner ahead of the big day.
However, it’s not just a busy time for those in relationships, as singletons are being warned about yet another dating trend to add to their glossary – ‘avalanching’.
It comes after a host of other new trends have become part of our vocabulary, including ‘spider-webbing,’ ‘bread-crumbing’ and being ‘zombied’.
Dating experts are warning those on dating apps that they could be running the risk of being overwhelmed by the sudden surge in interest in their profiles.
Research by FindingTheOne.com has revealed that 79% of singletons admit to swiping right more in January in search of a Valentine, as they fear being alone on the 14th February.
Singletons are being warned about yet another dating trend to add to their glossary – ‘avalanching’
In fact, 45% of singles say their dating non-negotiables go out the window when looking for a match this month, as age, location and looks take a back seat.
The January scramble to find love means you could be recieving many more matches and messages throughout the next few weeks.
However, while this might sound like a good thing, FindingTheOne’s dating expert, Sylvia Linzalone, has warned that the rush to get a match in time for Valentine’s Day could actually be counterproductive.
A massive 64% of the 800 people surveyed believe Valentine’s Day is the most depressing time of the year.
The dating expert explains: ‘The spike in January swiping is a natural response to societal expectations and the desire for companionship during a season focused on love.
‘Being single on Valentine’s Day can be quite a disheartening time for some, especially if you’re surrounded by loved up friends who are eagerly making plans for fancy dinners and romantic getaways.
‘However, the January rush to find love in time for the 14th February might actually have dire consequences.
‘As singles become affected by ‘avalanching’, people will be buried under a massive amount of new messages and interactions on dating apps this month, and that could lead to singles feeling overwhelmed and under pressure, as the sudden surge of attention hits.’
The January scramble to find love means you could be recieving many more matches and messages throughout the next month
According to Linzalone, it’s not just those on the receiving end who are affected by the dating trend, ‘There’s the additional risk of feeling disappointed if those extra efforts that people put into finding a date for Valentine’s Day don’t come to fruition.’
Singleton Fran from Colchester who took part in the survey, said: ‘I hate being alone on Valentine’s Day.
‘All of my closest friends are loved up in long-term relationships, so they’re all sorted, while I run the risk of spending the night alone with a bottle of wine and Eastenders on the TV to keep me company.
‘I’ve made it my mission to find someone by the 14th February, so I’m going on out with my search on various dating apps.
‘I’ve updated my photos and bio to make sure I stand out among the crowd, and I’m admittedly swiping right on people that I probably wouldn’t have a few months ago. Desperate times call for desperate measures’.
When asked how singles can avoid getting caught up in the pre-Valentine’s Day frenzy, Linzalone said, ‘What we need to do is embrace intentional dating.
‘At FindingTheOne, we want to make sure people date with purpose, taking time to find someone if they’re really looking for a serious relationship.
‘These days, dating apps have become just another form of social media, with extensive messaging and comparatively little face-to-face contact.
‘It’s time to switch these two around and focus on real life meets instead if you really want to make a change in your love life in 2024’.
