Community Counts: Gen Z and Millennial Singles Find New Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day

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02/08/2022 - 08:00 AM

VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- New insights from dating app Plenty of Fish find that 43% of singles believe Valentine's Day should evolve to celebrate more forms of love, including friendship, familial and self-love. As part of the app's "Be Single, Not Solo" campaign, the findings were released ahead of Singles Awareness Day (celebrated on Feb. 15). A complement to Valentine's Day, Singles Awareness Day encourages people who are single or unmarried to celebrate love in all forms. Commissioned by Plenty of Fish and OnePoll* the survey underscores how dating continues to evolve among younger generations.

Be Single, Not Solo this Valentine's Day
From the onslaught of rom-com movies to heart-filled store displays, Valentine's Day can be a stressful holiday for singles. However, Gen Z and Millennials are finding solace and strength in numbers by surrounding themselves with a support system of like-minded singles to alleviate "dating pressures" and make the dating journey more fun.

According to the "Be Single, Not Solo" campaign insights, younger singles are including friends in their Valentine's Day celebrations with nearly a quarter (23%) saying they're most likely to spend the day hanging with pals. Twenty-six percent plan to treat themselves to some much needed self-care and 19% of singles plan to celebrate Valentine's Day by going on a date. For those singles that are planning to spend time with their friends:

42% plan to go out for a bite to eat or drink.
36% plan on having a self-care night with friends.
35% hope to hook up with another single friend.
33% will host a virtual get together.
24% will buy gifts for one another.

Combating Loneliness with Community
The pandemic continues to impact how singles connect, with over two-thirds (67%) reporting more feelings of loneliness since March 2020. To alleviate those feelings, more than three-quarters (77%) have turned to online friendships for comfort.

As singles turn online to find new connections, they are increasingly focused on building and maintaining friendships that stem from similar passions and hobbies, with 74% believing that connecting with someone new over shared hobbies is time well spent — even if it doesn't lead to a romantic relationship. This phenomenon inspired the new dating trend that Plenty of Fish coined in late 2021, Communidating, which is when singles use dating apps to make friends and connections beyond romantic relationships.

59% of singles met new friends via dating apps over the last two years.
66% credit their online friends for helping them get through the pandemic.
40% spent more time video chatting/FaceTiming than ever before.
60% even admitted they don't celebrate their friendships as much as they should.

"The last few years have been incredibly stressful for singles and it's clearly made the desire for online connection – romantic or otherwise – all the more important," said Kate MacLean, Dating Expert, Plenty of Fish. "Whether singles are choosing to celebrate Valentine's Day with a new crush or enjoying Singles Awareness Day with a group of friends, having a supportive community to connect with makes dating more fun and low pressure."

The Be Single, Not Solo press kit can be found HERE. Join the conversation on social by following Plenty of Fish on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and blog The Latest Catch.

*2,000 single Gen Z and Millennial Americans were polled from Dec. 17, 2021 - Jan. 4, 2022 by OnePoll, in a study commissioned by Plenty of Fish.

About Plenty of Fish
Plenty of Fish, a Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH) company, is one of the largest global online dating companies and is available in 11 languages and more than 20 countries. Unlike many dating offerings today, Plenty of Fish offers a less prescriptive, low-pressure user experience that allows singles to discover what they're looking for.