‘We moved in together after two dates’: How lockdown has accelerated the way we date

As research finds that new couples are committing to one another faster than ever, Olivia Petter examines why the pandemic has turbo-boosted relationships

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Emma knew there was something different about Nic when they met. “Whether it was the ease of the conversation, the same sense of humour, the relatable backgrounds, the love of the same sports, I really don’t know,” the 30-year-old tells me from her home in Solihull. Emma and 29-year-old Nic were on their second date on 23 March, after meeting on dating app Bumble, when a breaking news announcement lit up their phones; the UK was going into lockdown.

Despite the new rules putting a stop to meeting anyone outside your household, or doing anything resembling a date, neither was ready to press pause on the relationship. So instead of going their separate ways, Emma and Nic decided to move in together. “We just thought we’d give it a go. It really was a case of sink or swim.”

Four months later, things are indeed going swimmingly – they even met each other’s parents on Zoom. “We went on ‘holiday’ in the garden, where we made cocktails and ate paella to pretend we were in Spain. Things are progressing really well,” says Emma.