Dating is, as many will attest, the worst: awkwardly trying to present the best versions of ourselves and pretending we’re stable until familiarity makes us feel safe enough to reveal more than our most heavily vetted idiosyncracies, admit that we change our outfits four times before we leave the house and, at the end of the day, don’t know who we really are.

Or whatever. But quarantine or not, social and sexual beings that we are, we just keep doing it.

Now that we’re all stuck at home, where, for the foreseeable future, the only in-person interactions we’ll be having will be with our families, roommates and pets, virtual dating is very much on the rise, especially in the United States. A recent study organized by dating.com found that the U.S. is the most active country for online dating. The next most are India, Ireland, U.K. and Spain, in that order.

Maria Sullivan, vice president of dating.com, answered questions about the quarantine-induced uptick in online, or virtual, dating and offered advice for those just entering the internet dating pool.

In your expert opinion, how good of a substitute is online dating for in-person dating?

Online dating is a great substitution for in-person dating. With online dating, you are able to connect with a vast amount of eligible singles to see who you really connect with and want to get to know more. Additionally, when it comes to online dating, you aren’t limited to meeting people in your area. You can meet people near and far and hopefully get a better idea of what you are looking for in a partner.

“Dating.com found that the U.S. takes the lead as the most active country for online dating, closely trailed by India, then Ireland, U.K. and, lastly, Spain.” Why do you think the U.S. has the most widespread use of virtual dating?

As seen in our recent study, users in the U.S. pursue the highest amount of new matches per day on average with six or more conversations initiated. The U.S. has the most widespread use of virtual dating because of population and culture. In the U.S., individuals are more focused on careers than settling down and starting a family. Because of this, they are more prone to spending free time virtual dating to find people to go on casual dates with rather than committing a large chunk of their time to a significant other. Similar to this, the hook-up culture is huge in America. A lot of the time, singles use virtual dating as a way to find their next hook-up.

In your findings, what do people like the most about virtual dating?

Singles like that they can find potential partners from the comfort of their own home. They don’t have to get dressed up and go to a crowded bar to find someone who might interest them. Virtual dating allows singles to have dozens of prospects at the tip of their fingers.

What are some of the best practices or the first things you should do when dating virtually?

To kick things off on a virtual date, ask them how they are or how their day is going. Have some questions in mind to ask them to get the conversation going because talking over video chat can be a little awkward at first.

Look presentable. Even though you are probably sitting in your home for the date, still get dressed up and look your best. You want to show the person you are interested in that you care about the date and that you took the time to get ready to talk to them.

Plan an activity while on FaceTime. For example, plan to make the same meal. For this activity, you can both pick a yummy meal to try to make over FaceTime, at the end you can compare whose looks better and if the meals turned out how you thought they would.

Make sure you have a strong Wi-Fi connection. While FaceTiming with someone you’re interested in, it is important that you have a good Wi-Fi connection so your video and sound don’t become blurry or lag.

When it comes to interacting through a screen, try to act as you would in person. The best way to get through the awkwardness is to act like you are in a restaurant or coffee shop sitting across from your date.

What are some good questions to ask when you start out?

Question: What do you do for a living?

Why: This question is a good ice breaker. People spend most of their time at work, so it’s good to get an idea of how they spend their days.

Question: What has been your favorite vacation?

Why: Everyone loves going on vacation and talking about what they did that made it so great. Asking this question on a first date will open up a conversation about where your date has traveled and if you are both into the same types of vacation destinations.

Question: Would you rather … ?

Why: Playing would you rather is a great way to fill any awkward silence, and it will also tell you more about your date than you were probably planning on finding out. It is important to keep the questions silly and fun. Don’t ask anything too crazy.

What is a common mistake or “don’t” of virtual dating?

Don’t be in a loud, crowded room – find an empty, quiet space where you can hear each other and won’t have outside distractions. You want to make sure your date has your full attention just as if you were out at a restaurant.

What is the most surprising aspect of virtual dating that you’ve come across so far?

The most surprising aspect of virtual dating is that people can form a real genuine connection with each other without ever meeting in person. Virtually dating proves that a strong connection is a lot more than physical attraction and touch. Individuals can get to know each other on a deeper level and really discover more about themselves in the process.