21 Not-Lame Tinder Conversation Starters (Thank Us Later)

Online dating usually goes a little something like this: You swipe right and it’s a match; you drop your usual opener (personally, I love to riff on whatever their bio says), and you start chatting. You ask the same questions you typically ask all your matches (what part of the city they’re from, what they like to do for fun, what kind of food they like) until one of you suggests meeting up for a first date to catch a vibe in person.

But, we’re in quarantine. And, instead of grabbing drinks or checking out that new art exhibit, the only way to see if there’s actually a spark is to keep the conversation going. Which is hard. So hard, in fact, Google searches for “Tinder conversation starters" are up 100%. After all, there are only so many times in a day you can ask “wyd?” (and tbh, they’re probably just binge-watching Netflix like they did yesterday and the day before that and the day before that.)

So, what do you do if you actually want to get to know your match better but it’s too early for a FaceTime date? Inspired by Vancouver-based writer Mandy Len Catron’s viral 2015 essay “To Fall In Love With Anyone, Do This” featuring 36 questions to find your soulmate, we present our decidedly less scientific, but equally as fun, approach.

Here are 21 anything-but-boring questions to shake things up before you meet IRL when this is all, finally, over.

1. What is the first thing you're going to do when life gets back to normal?

2. You just won $1 million. How will you spend it?

3. What do most people think about you that is not necessarily true?

4. I have hot Cheetos, day old rice, strawberry jam, turkey sausage, and chocolate. What can you make me for dinner?

5. What are you proud of but never have an excuse to talk about?

6. What’s your favourite meme?

7. What were you like in high school?

8. What conspiracy theories do you believe in?

9. How would your ex describe you?

10. If you had to sing one song to save someone’s life (or at karoake), what’s your go-to?

11. What’s your biggest “damn why haven’t I done this sooner?” moment?

12. What’s the weirdest thing you find attractive in somebody?

13. If you could see anyone in concert who would you see and why?

14. What is something you hate but wish you loved?

15. If you were with me right now, what would we be doing?

16. Who is your favourite family member and why?

17. What is a weird food combination that you really enjoy?

18. What’s the worst date you’ve ever been on?

19. Toronto Raptors or Toronto Blue Jays?

20. What’s your favourite travel memory?

21. Should we both order take-out and eat the same thing? (Editor’s note: If you make it this far and are still chatting, we highly recommend you schedule that FaceTime date. Like, yesterday.)