Finding that special someone can be tough in the best of times. But couples who met each other over the past year have had to balance getting closer emotionally while staying physically apart. Dating during the pandemic has come with novelties at every turn. Megan Farley started dating her boyfriend right before staying at home became the norm. “He’s met my mom once, and we’ve been dating more than a year,” Farley said. “It’s just kind of strange. We didn’t do family holidays and I’ve been fortunate enough to meet his family too, but every time we do this we have to get tested because his family lives with his grandfather.”Instead of spending time out with each other’s friends, they’ve spent more time inside playing games. “I feel like it made us bond a little bit more just because we weren’t able to have all those other distractions,” Farley said. “It really showed the connection we have.”Courtney Quinlan owns Midwest Matchmaking. She said business is not only busy, but dating itself has changed with COVID-19. “People are dating with the intentions of finding a lasting relationship more so than the previous hook-up culture. A lot of people are A, not having resources to just go out to bars anymore because they’re not open, or B, they’re scared to do that,” Quinlan said. Sidney Jacobson got into a relationship shortly before the first case of the virus arrived in Iowa. She said she’s kept her circle of contacts small, but now she’s planning Summerset Winery’s first indoor event for Valentine’s Day. “It will be very private, intimate,” Jacobson said. “Only 12 groups down in the cellar, and then we made sure that tables are going to be spaced out.”
Finding that special someone can be tough in the best of times. But couples who met each other over the past year have had to balance getting closer emotionally while staying physically apart.
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Dating during the pandemic has come with novelties at every turn. Megan Farley started dating her boyfriend right before staying at home became the norm.
“He’s met my mom once, and we’ve been dating more than a year,” Farley said. “It’s just kind of strange. We didn’t do family holidays and I’ve been fortunate enough to meet his family too, but every time we do this we have to get tested because his family lives with his grandfather.”
Instead of spending time out with each other’s friends, they’ve spent more time inside playing games.
“I feel like it made us bond a little bit more just because we weren’t able to have all those other distractions,” Farley said. “It really showed the connection we have.”
Courtney Quinlan owns Midwest Matchmaking. She said business is not only busy, but dating itself has changed with COVID-19.
“People are dating with the intentions of finding a lasting relationship more so than the previous hook-up culture. A lot of people are A, not having resources to just go out to bars anymore because they’re not open, or B, they’re scared to do that,” Quinlan said.
Sidney Jacobson got into a relationship shortly before the first case of the virus arrived in Iowa. She said she’s kept her circle of contacts small, but now she’s planning Summerset Winery’s first indoor event for Valentine’s Day.
“It will be very private, intimate,” Jacobson said. “Only 12 groups down in the cellar, and then we made sure that tables are going to be spaced out.”
