Tinder is a matchmaking application that a lot of people critique, saying that it is shallow and entirely based on superficial judgment.

These critics are probably right.

But that doesn’t mean that the app doesn’t serve a purpose. If you’re a busy guy, gal or identify as something else, Tinder can help you find a friend in just a couple of minutes.

The first step is to build your profile. You’re going to want to put your best picture up first, since that’s what most people are going to judge you on.

Your picture should definitely have your beautiful face in it and try to incorporate some character. If you play an instrument, throw that in there. If you paint, make sure people can see that.

Most people thumbing through Tinder won’t even open your profile, but if they do, make sure it counts. Throw up a couple more pictures of yourself and write a neat little bio like this one

“I’m a mandolin playing, bean eating vegetarian. I’m a freelance journalist and student. I like taking pictures of things, listening to stuff and drinking coffee.”

I’ve been using this bio for a while and it’s been pretty successful.

So now that you have a bio, you’re ready to start searching for whoever it is that you’re looking for.

Go.

It’s that simple, just swipe through the stack of possible matches that fit your preset preferences.

Eventually you’ll match up with someone that suits you. If not, keep going.

Once you’ve found your match, the fun starts. You can say something bold to stand out from the hordes of other people or just take it casually.

After chatting for a while, you’ll start to get a feel for whether or not you want to meet this person face-to-face.

It’s probably a good idea.

You should always pick a public place to make sure that there’s no funny business. And if you feel especially vulnerable, bring a friend just to play it safe. You can always ask that friend to leave later.

Next, you’ll want to fall in love. You might not succeed. That being said, you probably won’t find love on Tinder, but that’s not why you downloaded the app.