While some students like the idea of swiping right to find love, others prefer the intimacy of being approached on campus or at a bar. Either way, once the first move is made, there’s a lot that goes into relationship communication.
While many students say they understand the concept of consent, a recent Tinder survey reveals a gap between knowing and confidently putting it into practice. Approximately 53% of college students learn about consent from social media, where the quality of information varies.
In response, Tinder launched a Healthy Dating 101 guide, aiming to empower students with practical tools to navigate relationships with confidence and clarity.
The guide, which was released last month, was developed in collaboration with Mia Schachter, Tinder’s resident consent educator. In Tinder University (Tinder U), users receive an in-app message that pops up after their first match, encouraging them to explore the guide before sending their first message. Users can also find the guide in the in-app safety center.
This interactive guide is designed to address common challenges students face, from setting boundaries to navigating conversations about consent.
“Consent is about more than just a ‘yes’ or ‘no,’” Mia Schachter said. “It’s about knowing yourself—your needs, desires, and boundaries—and learning how to express them authentically.”
Schachter began their career in consent in 2019 as an intimacy coordinator for TV and film. But when sets shut down during the pandemic, they began teaching virtual consent classes, which quickly gained traction.
“During these classes they weren’t talking about sex at all. Nobody could touch each other,” Schachter said. “We were all just trying to learn how to navigate boundaries and deepen our relationships with ourselves and take care of each other in a new way that we’d never really experienced before.”
Schachter brings these practices from their workshops and Instagram page, @consent.wizardry, to the Healthy Dating 101 guide, which doesn’t touch on consent in sex until the last section.
The guide contains three sections: “Feeling it Out,” “Meeting IRL,” and “Going Deeper.” It emphasizes that consent extends far beyond the sexual realm to understanding what about yourself you want to share with others, understanding your boundaries and navigating interpersonal connections.
For college students, Schachter highlights the importance of tackling issues like “people-pleasing,” which is covered in section two: “Meeting IRL.”
“People-pleasing” in dating is described as putting others’ needs and desires ahead of your own, to your detriment, by losing yourself in being so preoccupied with who your partner wants you to be, instead of just being yourself and understanding your preferences.
“Many students go on dates trying to be what they think the other person wants. But that compromises authenticity and makes consent murky,” Schachter explained.
The guide is part of Tinder’s larger effort to promote a culture of safety and respect. At USC one in three undergraduate women experience sexual assault, and consent can help serve as a preventive measure.
By placing consent at the forefront of dating culture, Tinder and Schachter aim to drive a broader cultural shift.
“I hope people use this guide to approach relationships with curiosity and self-discovery,” Schachter said. “Mistakes happen, but they can be valuable learning moments.”
For USC students, the Healthy Dating 101 guide offers a practical, modern take on consent education—one that could shape healthier relationships and foster a safer campus dating culture.