Let me just say this: I love this. I love that there’s a new application where you can basically best friend date. Because making meaningful, dedicated female friends as an adult is freaking hard. Until now, all of the technological algorithmic magic was used on dating apps like Tinder and OkCupid, leaving women in the lurch.
But thanks to VINA, founded by Olivia June Poole and Jen Aprahamian, this new app is finally bringing women together. Girl power, much? The app’s launch statement basically says it all:
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“Hey! VINA aims to solve the challenge of making new friends as adult women with a Tinder-style UX and a proprietary matching algorithm to suggest potential new friends based on mutual friends, proximity, and quiz data.”
The app itself launched for iOS users in San Francisco on January 26th (sorry everyone else, hopefully the app will soon be available elsewhere). So, how exactly does it work? Users can take a brief introductory quiz with simple yes-or-questions about your lifestyle, and then after that, you start swiping away.
I’m about this fun, fast, and easy way to make friends. As adults, it’s hard making time to meet new people outside of your job and current social circle, especially if you have kids. No one has to tell you that, although the founders have understand just how important developing female bonds is.
There’s so much emphasis in our culture to find a romantic partner, but hardly any on finding a female best friend. In many ways, this creates tremendous pressure to find a “perfect” partner, which is completely absurd and unhealthy, since no one can be everything for you all of the time–it’s important to have a few different people you can count on, not because a partner or spouse isn’t “enough,” but because it’s unfair to unload only on one person. Plus, girls night should be part of every woman’s life, am I right?
Poole stated in The Huffington Post:
“Female friendships are absolutely essential. We hope women find their new best friends, traveling partners, brunch dates, wing girls, mommy friends, workout partners, etc. on the platform. We hope women everywhere will use the app to find the freedom and confidence that comes from having a strong community of friends supporting you.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself. Keeping my fingers crossed that the app makes its way to New York City.
