Anita Chlipala

Technology nowadays makes dating just a click or a swipe away. But a lot of people would rather meet someone in person and are hesitant to dive into the world of digital dating. Chicago is a huge city, and some local singles are limiting their options by staying off dating apps like Tinder. With that in mind, here are five reasons why Chicagoans should open their phones and start swiping. 1. It's incredibly easy: Chicagoans lead busy lives and a Tinder profile is super easy to set up. Unlike other dating sites, there's no need to take time out of your day to fill out lots of information. And because you can only message with people you match with, you eliminate unwanted messages, which can be time-consuming to sift through. 2. It's free: Chicago is an expensive city. After paying for rent, parking, utilities, groceries and nights out on the town, who wants to spend money on a monthly subscription for a dating site? Your money can be spent having another drink with your date instead. 3. It brings the scene to you: Let’s face it, attraction matters. Although Tinder sometimes gets a bad rap for being superficial, you approach people in person based on attraction too. Scoping someone out on the El or in line at your favorite coffee shop is kind of creepy. People go on Tinder for the sole purpose of checking people out, which dilutes the weirdo vibe.  4. You're less likely to get rejected: Life in Chicago is tough enough without being rejected by your crush. Tinder only connects y

“You can’t find love during summer in Chicago. People just want to hook up.” Have you ever heard this, or perhaps even said these words yourself? As a dating coach, I frequently hear this from my clients as summer approaches. In the nation’s third largest city, people don’t seem to believe they can meet someone who actually wants a relationship when it’s warm out. Here are four reasons why Chicago summer is one of the best times to find love. 1. You can meet people you’d otherwise never meet. Winter can be brutal, and some people will not leave their homes unless they have to. Some singles won’t go online because they want to meet someone organically. Summertime in Chicago is the ideal for meeting a winter cuddle buddy. There’s so much to do, from lakefront events to weekly festivals. More people outside equals more people to meet. 2. More doing, less talking. Dates during the winter usually consist of drinks and dinner. Summertime events and activities give you amazing opportunities to learn about your date and see them in various contexts. Of course a first date can be simple like coffee or drinks to make sure there's a mutual attraction. But drinks and dinner over and over again can be a snooze fest. In the summer, you can bike along the lakefront, go kayaking, learn each other’s tastes by going to concerts and art fairs and test each other’s comfort zones with an outdoor trapeze class.  3. Less clothes, more confidence. Forget the shapeless sweaters and puffy coats. Summe