‘I’m going on 50 first dates – or at least until I’m bored’: Inside the rise in batch dating as Gen Z play the field to the extreme in the hope of finding love

After dating apps came the return of speed dating, meet cutes, running clubs and other innovative ways to find love.

But as young people find it increasingly difficult to find a match, they are turning to extreme methods in the hope of bagging a relationship. The latest craze sees them playing a numbers game; setting themselves a goal of going on 50 first dates in the hope of finding something that will last. 

The TikTok trend sees young people documenting their love lives, revealing details of their upcoming dates dates in ‘get ready with me’ videos while also sneaking off during dates to give their first impressions of prospective lovers.

Several taking part in the courtship challenge cite ‘boredom’ or frustration with conventional dating habits as the reason for the slew of dates.

Aimed at encouraging youngsters to go on dates with people who ‘maybe don’t tick all of the boxes’, the hope is that the ‘numbers game’ will reap rewards and widen the dating pool.

The unconventional method often means youngsters spend will often spend just one evening with a date, ditching prospective romances if they fail to impress on the first date. 

The 50 first dates tag has 67.3 million views on TikTok with dozens of women across the world trialing out the new dating technique.  

In one TikTok video, single creator Beth Collins said: ‘I’m doing 50 first dates or at least till I’m bored or find the love of my life.’

In one TikTok video, single creator Beth Collins (pictured) said: ‘I’m doing 50 first dates or at least till I’m bored or find the love of my life’ 

In another clip she said: ‘I’m doing this because I’m really not much of a dater and dating really is a numbers game. I was getting really attached to the random one man I’d go on a date with and it was not healthy.

‘I need to start saying yes more and start going on dates with people who maybe don’t tick all of the boxes because I might be pleasantly surprised.’

Beth said it was essential that daters ‘don’t put all their eggs in one basket’, saying she felt that dating more people would lend to being more selective. 

‘It’s terrifying to think that people do put all their eggs in one basket because now I’m doing 50 first dates I’m like, the first date is literally a meeting.’

Creators will often look to dating apps to find their dates, as well as people they meet in real life. 

Before each date, TikTokers will introduce the person they are about to go out with. sharing details of the person.

During the date, they will then give updates from the bathroom, giving viewers their first impressions of their date before offering a full update the following day.    

Another creator, Francesca began her dating binge in July, telling followers that she was making the move following a ‘recent breakups’.

She said: ‘I’ve always loved seeing these around and I started seeing them when I was just freshly into a relationship so I was never able to do them but I bloody love a first date so it’s the most exciting thing for me to do I think. I love the social aspect and meeting people for the first time.’

Another creator, Becca (pictured) is also sharing her journey taking on the batch dating challenge, documenting personal details from the dates online

The 50 first dates tag has 67.3 million views on TikTok with dozens of women across the world trialing out the new dating technique

For Francesca’s first date she told viewers about her prospective date: ‘He’s a 28-year-old man, he’s an eye doctor and eye surgeon. He runs, surfs, cycles so he’s quite active and he was 6’2ft.’

Slipping off to give an update she then said: ‘First initial thoughts, cute, talkative, conversations flowing. I’m just not 100 per cent sure. I’m not sure what’s missing. There’s no real sexual chemistry. It’s not a grower at the moment.’

The next day she concluded the date. ‘He’s lovely but he’s not for me.’

The singleton is now on her 19th date, regularly posting updates to her online followers who eagerly await details from dates. 

Taking her followers with her, Francesca attends dates across London in pubs, bars and cafes.  

Of course, 50 dates is no easy feat and most creators admit they would be prepared to sack off the challenge if they meet ‘the love of their life’. 

Another creator, Becca, is also sharing her journey taking on the batch dating challenge, documenting personal details from the dates online. 

‘I’ve had a lot of people ask what’s the point if you know you’re gonna other dates,’ she said. ‘But if I meet someone and want to go on a second date with them or whatever, I will.’

Though she admitted she is primarily taking part in the challenge to ‘get out there’. 

She said: ‘But the point is I like being in my cocoon in my home and I don’t always get out there. The point is to meet new people and get me out my house a little bit.’

Another creator, @tillytalkz is currently taking part in the challenge but ‘only with rich guys.’ 

Others are taking part in similar challenges, taking on ’25 first date challenges’ with the hopes of finding love.

The TikTok trend sees young people documenting their love lives, revealing details of their upcoming dates dates in ‘get ready with me’ videos while also sneaking off during dates to give their first impressions of prospective lovers. Ceator Francesca pictured sneaking off from the date to update her followers on how its going

Others are taking part in similar challenges, taking on ’25 first date challenges’ with the hopes of finding love

The unconventional method often means youngsters spend will often spend just one evening with a date, ditching prospective romances if they fail to impress on the first date

Creators will sneak off during dates to give an update from the toilet on their first impressions of the date

Another creator, Francesca (pictured) began her dating binge in July, telling followers that she was making the move following a ‘recent breakups’

The trend first began earlier this year when London living Aussie, Hannah Zaslawski, started her own series where she shared her journey going on 50 first dates in the capital.

Aged 34, Hannah began her dating venture, sometimes going on as many as two dates a week. 

Hannah, who told FEMAIL she finds 70 per cent of her dates on Hinge, would share details of each of her dates. 

The creator has shared dozens of videos and updates of her dating life, having toured the city with pub meets, gallery adventures and museum dates. 

The last update from Hannah’s TikTok suggests she has currently been on 38 dates in total though it’s unclear if she intends to reach the final 50 milstone.