By JW McNay/campus editor

Swipe right if you’re tall, rich and an astronaut.

A relationship can now start with just a simple “swipe right,” a term made popular by the dating app Tinder.

And a simple “swipe left” when the profile doesn’t seem like dating material can halt a relationship before it has a chance to start.

Everyone has their preference when it comes to a potential partner, but online dating can be viewed as shallow when it’s based on a few photos and a short profile, if there even is one.

There could also be a long list of demands insinuating you need to have traveled to the moon and driven on the Sea of Tranquility.

While online dating often gets a bad rap, most criticisms are similar to longstanding issues in pre-internet dating.

Sure, online dating is not for everyone, and the process can leave a lot left to be desired. An online profile may not even be the pictured person or it could even be a bot. Someone can lie to you in person, but at least you know it’s a real human in front of you.

But the times have changed. For better or worse, online dating has become more and more a part of mainstream culture as younger generations seem more accepting of the change having grown up alongside the technology’s advancement.

However, the judgments made during online dating aren’t much different than judgments a person makes when they first meet and talk to a new person, especially in these speed dating events.

It’s a fast-paced world and seeking what you want could be considered efficient, trying to just cut to the chase.

It’s tempting to call those who have specific preferences superficial or close-minded, but when it comes to attraction, they have a right to be picky.

It’s hard to know the exact motivations for why each individual has a particular preference, but it’s what sets each of us apart from one another.

You’re going to like what you like whether it’s online or offline.

Now, fly me to the moon.