Hinge's Guide to Dating When You're New to a City or New to the Apps

This summer, the energy is up. Calendars are full of group hangs, festivals, and other social plans. New grads and interns are moving to new cities and getting acquainted with their neighborhoods. And plenty of people are trying apps for the first time, or thinking about acting on a match they’ve been sitting on. Online conversations about moving to a new city and looking for dates or connections are up 38% year over year.* 

Putting yourself out there isn’t always easy though — whether you're newly trying to date, worried about how you come across, or trying to figure out how to balance your time this summer. According to Hinge’s research, 56% of Gen Z daters say fear of rejection has stopped them from pursuing a match, but summer and new chapters of life are a natural moment to try. 

To help daters feel more confident getting out there, we asked Logan Ury (she/her), Hinge's Lead Relationship Scientist and author of How to Not Die Alone, for her best advice on going from Hinge match to first date this summer. 

1. Take Advantage of the “Fresh Start Effect”

Logan: ​​Wharton psychology professor Katie Milkman finds that starting a new habit on a landmark day — like the first of the year or your birthday — can make you more successful at setting and achieving your goals. She calls this the “fresh start effect,” because these moments encourage you to take a step back and evaluate your life. You feel like a person with a blank slate, which helps you believe in your ability to adopt new patterns. 

The fresh start effect also applies when you move to a new city. Take advantage of this by developing new healthy habits around dating. For example, come up with a dating resolution for the rest of 2026. Who do you want to be in your new city? And how do you want to show up there? Perhaps you want to try to go on at least one date a month, or join a new recreational soccer league to meet new people. 

2. Incorporate Hooks On Your Profile to Spark Conversation 

Logan: Think of your profile as the opening line of a conversation. My favorite trick to make it easy for someone to start a chat with you is to include a hook. For example, let’s say you wrote this on your profile: “I love reading and I’m a sucker for historical fiction.” You could add a hook by finishing with “What should be my next summer read?” Now you’ve made it easy for someone to engage with you. 

Another fun version of this is to turn your prompt response into a debate. “Delfina is the best pizza in San Francisco. Prove me wrong.” That invites a potential match into a playful back-and-forth on pizza, and gives you an easy idea for the first date. 

3. Take a Few Steps to Feel More Comfortable Before Meeting in Person

Logan: Look for the Selfie Verification badge on profiles, which confirms someone looks like their photos. And if you haven't verified your own profile yet, it's worth doing today. We’ve found that Hinge daters who have selfie-verified profiles go on 167% more dates than those who don’t. A pre-date phone call or video chat is an easy way to get a vibe check from someone before you meet in person. 

4. Add Play To Your Dates

Logan: A first date isn't a job interview. There's no need to sit across from each other running through your resumes. Instead, try to incorporate a sense of play by doing an activity together. For example, playing pickleball or going to a comedy show and getting ice cream afterwards. Hinge's guide to playful first dates can help spark some creative ideas.

5. Lead With Curiosity, Not Performance 

Logan: You don't need to have your new city figured out, pretend to like what your date likes, or portray yourself as perfectly polished. What actually creates connection is genuine interest. So ask thoughtful questions and lead with curiosity. And If they know the city better than you do, ask which local spot they think you should try first. 

6. Take the Pressure Off the First Date 

Logan: The goal of a first date isn't to decide whether this person is your future partner. It's to get to know them and see if you want to get together again. Focus more on how you feel around the person and less on whether you experience love at first sight. Many of the best couples started with a slow burn, not an immediate spark. 

7. Pay Attention to Whether They Match Your Effort

Logan: Something we’ve been watching is the rise of chalant dating. Rather than acting nonchalant — disinterested or pretending not to care, chalant dating is all about embracing vulnerability and showing visible effort, even at the risk of rejection.

So pay attention to whether someone is showing up for you. Do they ask questions, remember what you've shared, and help make or confirm plans? Small, steady actions often reveal more about someone's interest than one elaborate opening line or grand gesture.

Now Hinge has a new way to spot daters who are really putting in that consistent effort — the Signals Badge. It displays a tiny purple beating heart badge next to your name to highlight daters who show consistent effort, thoughtfulness, and follow-through.

Make this your summer of love

Summer isn't waiting, and neither should you. Whether it’s your first time on the apps, your fresh start in a new city, or you’re just ready to prioritize dating again, the best first date is the one you go on.

Methodology

*Social volume insights provided by social listening platform, Brandwatch. Compares these months: May 1, 2026 – July 24, 2026 to the same months 1 year prior: May 1, 2025 – July 24, 2025.