Ah, the woes of 21st century dating strike again. Social media now plays a starring role in modern love stories, and if you don’t do it right, it could be detrimental to the early stages of your relationship, forcing a fizzle instead of a DTR. 

Let’s imagine you went on a fantastic date. Conversation flowed, there was lots of laughter, no weird moments and together you made plans for a second date. Somewhere between the mini golf and ice cream you snapped a Pulitzer-Prize-worthy selfie, and you want to post the picture on your Instagram story – slightly #humblebragging that you’ve snagged a cutie, but also showing that you’re having fun. You don’t want to make your date feel uncomfortable. How do you continue from here? 

Ask for permission

In a smooth as silk way, show the picture to the person and ask them, “What do you think? Cute enough for Instagram?” and if they hesitate for more than three seconds, don’t post the picture. Continue on with, “That’s fine, why don’t I just send it to you instead?” and move the conversation forward. If they’re all about it, you’re in the clear – but go easy, Casanova – one picture is a lot different than 10. 

Be respectful

Good taste is a critical part of using Instagram to your benefit and not your downfall. Posting nice pictures and being an upstanding Instagram citizen will get you a lot farther than weirdly sliding into someone’s DMs. 

Connect with their content

Kind humor is usually the safest route when commenting. Try an inside joke or witty reply. If you’re nervous about taking the jump to the comments section, remember, have some confidence. It’s just an app, not a life-or-death situation. Still, if it makes you nervous, there’s nothing wrong with just leaving a “like” and moving on. 

Tag them in memes 

If you’re to the point that you have inside jokes, you’re to the point where you can tag each other in funny memes. It’s a great way to let them know you’re thinking of them, and it’s an easy conversation starter. 

Follow then unfollow

Don’t be a petty Instagram user. I know it can feel like the end of the world when it comes to numbers, but trust me – no one cares. Don’t follow people just in attempts to get followers, and don’t unfollow people just to make a statement. And, if this has happened to you, don’t take it personally. Again, it’s just an app. Use it as a way to connect with friends and family, but not as a way of life. 

Use Instagram when you’re with someone else in person

Don’t be on Instagram if you’re hanging out with people, especially someone you’re interested in. It is a normal thing for our generation to do, but it’s just rude. Put your phone away and be present. 

Spam hashtags

#if #you #post #like #this #then #its #a #huge #red #flag #seriously #dont

Leave creepy comments

Have you ever heard the saying, “if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck, it’s probably a duck?” This is true for comments. If it looks weird or feels weird, it’s weird. Don’t leave weird comments and don’t tolerate them on your posts. There is the report button for this very reason, and don’t be afraid to reach out for help if someone is leaving uncomfortable or unkind comments. There is no excuse for this, and you aren’t alone. 

– Allie Jones

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