I Tried A Rocket Scientist's Algorithm To Predict My Love Life & Here's What Happened

Dating is exhausting. Anybody feel me? Sometimes, when I get so frustrated I just want to scream, I’m tempted to turn to technology to try to solve all my problems. So, when I heard this strategy might actually be a realistic solution, you better believe I was all ears. I tried Nanaya’s love algorithm to determine what my chances are of finding a mate, and OMG, you guys, I learned some crazy things about myself. There’s no going back now.

Created by a real-life rocket scientist, Dr. Rashied Amini, Nanaya is a data-driven algorithm that analyzes personality traits, external surroundings, and interests to gauge your likelihood of meeting a mate in the near future. It's available in a web or app version, and the Future Prediction test costs $8.99 to use. The Nanaya team decided that there had to be a way to utilize data to predict your love life — after all, we use it to predict everything from weather patterns to stock market trends! By making the most of the circumstances and traits we already possess, the app is designed to help people discover their potential for true fulfillment and joy. It's not just for singles, either — couples can use the information to form a stronger bond and discover their overall compatibility.

Designed to look like a galaxy, Nanaya’s website is full of optimism and encouragement to seek a happier you. I took the Future Prediction Test, which took me a total of about 30 minutes and was surprisingly thorough in the topics it covered. I answered questions ranging from What is your ideal age for settling down? (Lord knows) to How would you feel if your partner took all the attention at a party with your friends? (proud, but also a little jealous), and I even got to share whether I had any dietary restriction preferences or dealbreakers (anybody else gluten-free out there? anybody?).

Parts of the test felt like a job interview (Do you see yourself changing careers in the next seven years? Do you attend any professional conferences?), but honestly, isn’t dating kind of like looking for a new job, too? What I liked about the test was how specifically it asked about almost every facet of my life and my routine. I got to share my regular travel habits, my fitness obsession, and my feelings about online dating. I also got to say what characteristics I find most important in a partner. This stuff may seem small, but when you think about the possibility of finding success in a relationship, shared interests and values are some of the most important factors of all.

Toward the end of the assessment, I was shown a series of photos what I had to react to by choosing the words "Me" or "Not Me." It included everything from Name brands to Life of the party to Playing by the rules. My guess is that these questions help the technology figure out what your personality is like so it can determine where you’re most likely to meet a partner. It’s a cool concept!

Once I finished, Nanaya calculated a detailed report card showing me how likely I am to find a match in the next seven years. Yikes. You get scores out of five stars in Odds of Finding Love, Open-Mindedness, and Social Growth, and the report goes on to share personalized advice about when and where to look for a partner. In positive news, my odds are good! I only scored four stars on open-mindedness (guess I know what I need to work on), but it gave me a near perfect likelihood of meeting someone I connect with.

The app looked at my various social communities and determined my likelihood of finding romance through each of them. While my odds of finding love in the workplace don’t look great (I’m a freelancer and a dating writer, so this is no surprise), it looks like my city (New York) is bursting with opportunity, and my current friend group could be a good source of connection as well.

Nanaya also made suggestions as to how I should be spending my time. Apparently I should spend more energy online dating and a little less on work-related contacts — BRB, redownloading Tinder. Seriously though, I love the suggestion that my friends could play a more active role in helping me secure a romantic match. I feel like I don’t ask them often enough to introduce me to people, and I could totally see them helping me meet a dating partner in the long run.

At the end of the advice section, the Nanaya team made an important distinction between your odds of meeting a match versus your odds of having a relationship. For instance, I could be putting myself in all the right situations to meet someone I like, but if I’m not willing to take the extra steps to get to know them and be vulnerable, it won’t turn into anything significant. Even if you’re doing all you can to make initial connections, turning them into meaningful relationships is work you’ll have to do on your own.

As the report went on, I even got a glimpse into what my romantic personality is like. Apparently, I’m an ICFT, which stands for Tranquil, Cautious, Flexible, Tame (the T was taken by Tame, so Tranquil got labeled as an I). This means I'm routine-oriented and easy to get along with, but I can sometimes be indecisive and non-committal when it comes to relationships. Nanaya suggested I work hard to keep things fresh and keep lines of communication open with a partner. It also told me I was highly likely to be married by age 30… which if you think about it, feels a little terrifying, given that that’s only six years away. SOS.

Overall, I found some of Nanaya’s information useful, but I didn’t really feel like they nailed my personality. I’m a bit more creative and spontaneous than the algorithm would lead me to believe, but I certainly think there are some kernels of wisdom in all this love advice. If I’m intentional about the way I spend my time, and the people I spend it with, my odds of meeting someone I really jive with will increase. And obviously open-mindedness is crucial. I may not have found a foolproof method yet for meeting my next partner, but I can certainly take all this new feedback to heart.