Podcast Summary: U Up? — "The Biggest Dating Week of the Year"

Host: Jordana Abraham & Jared Freid
Date: January 2, 2026
Podcast: U Up? by Betches Media

Overview

In this lively episode, Jordana Abraham and Jared Freid dive into what they call the "Super Bowl" of online dating: the first week of January, which traditionally sees huge surges in dating app activity. The duo uses their signature banter to dish out practical, real-time advice for listeners rebooting their dating profiles, and to conduct live makeovers on listener-submitted dating app pages. The tone is honest, irreverent, and empathetic, full of both laughs and actionable tips for anyone entering (or re-entering) the dating world in 2026.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Biggest Dating Week of the Year

• [03:04] Jared and Jordana explain that the first Sunday after New Year's is the number one day for new dating app downloads.
• Jared: "If you don't find someone in the first week, you're probably not finding someone at all. So this is a very important week for a dating app. So let this episode be your hand hold into the apps because we're going to give you some tips and tricks."
• The hosts encourage listeners to get their profiles ready and note that the influx of new users makes this the best possible time for a dating reset.

2. Why Dating Resolutions Start on Monday

• [01:36] Both hosts have an extended riff on how people should not start resolutions on January 2nd—"today is a fat day, today is a calorie day" (Jared)—and that true new beginnings start the following Monday.

3. Top Three Dating App Profile Tips

Tip 1: Undersell, Overdeliver

• [11:20] Jordana: "I would say undersell, over-deliver would be one of my tips."
• Avoid pictures that are overly glam or clearly taken for big events; aim for real and relatable.
• Jared: "Match the first picture to the first date...If it wouldn't happen on a first date, it shouldn't be in the first picture." [12:14]
• Avoid: sunglasses, group shots, hats, wedding outfits, or photos with friends in the first slot.

Tip 2: Prompts Are Your Superpower (Get Specific!)

• [13:23] Jared: "It is my opinion... that the prompts are a way to improve the dating apps."
• Prompts are where you shift from quantity (matches) to quality (matches you want) — the "2.0" of dating apps.
• [15:02] Jared: "If someone ignores your prompts, they're probably not going to be a great date.... Every good date I have gone on has been because of a good prompt."
• They walk through how to answer generic prompts in a way that sets you apart:
  • The way to win me over is... → Add a quirky, personal detail.
  • Together we could... → Make it about something oddly specific you'd love to do.
  • Simple pleasures... → Include a real micro-detail from your life.
• Jordana: "Well, now it's your turn. I'm inviting you in... you can get into all of that in the conversation when they respond to your prompt." [18:01]

Tip 3: Use Prompts to Show, Not Tell, Your Personality

• The best prompts are vulnerable, authentic, and don’t feel like a resume.
• Bad: "I look for consistency, kindness, and a sense of humor."
• Good: "Green flag: You won’t mind that I will start crying about my divorce in the middle of our date." [36:16] Jared (half joke, half encouragement to get real).
• Jared: "You want what life is: gravity. If you get nothing from your profile, you get nothing. If you get emotion from your profile, you will get something." [31:36]

4. Segment: Dating App Makeovers

[24:34] onwards
The hosts review two listener-submitted dating profiles—one from a woman (Kimberly), one from a man (James, recently divorced)—offering a step-by-step play-by-play filled with both tough love and affirmations.

Notable Hot Takes:

• Voice Prompts:
  • [25:28] Jared: "Let's not do the voice prompt. It can only hurt you. You can't go up from voice prompt."
  • [25:45] Jordana: "For the men, it sounds like very creepy...like they're going to kill you."
• Selfies & Filters:
  • Too many selfies, especially overly close-up or retouched, are a NO.
  • [27:14] Jared: "This looks like I'm looking at her through a peephole."
  • [27:31] Jordana: "It looks almost like too perfect, right, where it makes me think it's airbrushed."
• Profile Vibe:
  • Be warm and inviting, not defensive or aloof ("feral cat" metaphor = unapproachable).
  • Get a friend to take at least one candid, full-length photo.

Prompt-Specific Advice:

• "Dating me is like..."
  • Avoid metaphors that set you up as high-maintenance or difficult to access.
• "I get myself out of a funk by..."
  • Add details: favorite song, artist, dance move—“Make a decision, say who you are so that I can say no way or yes.”
  • Example upgrade: "I get myself out of a funk by dancing like a character on 'Girls' to Robyn’s 'Dancing On My Own.'" [31:47] Jordana

For Divorced Daters:

• If you have kids, mention it clearly in the profile (either in the "vitals" or a prompt).
• [42:08] Jordana: "No mention of your kids on the profile...I think you need something that alludes to the fact that you have kids."
• Don’t use prompts as generic checklists—use them to showcase your quirks, history, hobbies, and actual deal-breakers.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• [12:01] Jared: “If you’re actively not listening to this advice, you’re not allowed to complain about dating ever.”
• [14:54] Jared: “The great reveal of dating apps is that matches don’t matter.”
• [16:43] Jordana: "But the picture is, like, secondary to, like, finding a real quality match and date."
• [17:51] Jared: "The way to win me over...Now here’s a fun fact about me: I like a coffee with extra ice and a little vanilla."
• [18:24] Jordana (talking about specificity in prompts): "And you can get into all of that in the conversation when they respond to your prompt."
• [25:28] Jared: "Let's not do the voice prompt. It can only hurt you."
• [34:09] Jordana: "I'm thinking about your penis with Mario Lopez's."
• [42:16] Jordana: "I think you should know. Again, it doesn't have to be the whole profile. It doesn't have to be the whole personality...but something in the prompts, at least that alludes to having a child."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:04] — The real biggest dating app day of the year explainer
• [11:20] — Jordana's #1 tip: Undersell, overdeliver
• [12:14] — Jared's first photo rule: Would you look like that on a first date?
• [13:23]–[19:02] — Building better prompts: specificity, humor, vulnerability
• [24:34] — Start of dating app makeover segment
• [25:28]–[26:31] — The voice prompt debate
• [27:14]–[30:44] — Breaking down profile photos: what works, what doesn’t
• [31:36] — The emotional core of a good profile
• [36:16]–[40:34] — Reviewing James’ divorced dad profile, learning from the pitfalls
• [42:08] — How (and why) to mention you have children in your dating profile

Final Thoughts / Takeaways

• It All Starts on the First Monday (or Sunday!): The post-holiday period is prime time for dating app activity. Be ready!
• Profile Refreshers Matter: Small tweaks can hugely increase your odds—authentic photos, personalized prompts.
• Specificity & Vulnerability Win Every Time: Don't just tell your potential suitors what you think they want to hear; say something only you would say.
• Don’t Omit the Big Stuff: Especially if you have kids—be upfront to attract the right matches.
• Send Your Friends This Episode: It's both a pep talk and a care package for anyone who needs a dating reboot.

Call to Action

• Send in screenshots of great (or terrible) dating prompts to uup@betches.com for critique on future pods—maybe even with your handle for a little extra exposure!
• For extra details on these and other profile makeovers, check out the YouTube version for all visual elements.

Jared Freed [12:01]: “If you’re actively not listening to this advice, you’re not allowed to complain about dating ever.”

Jordana Abraham [31:36]: "If you get nothing from your profile, you get nothing. If you get emotion from your profile, you will get something." —

For anyone out there feeling nervous about reactivating those apps in 2026, Jordana and Jared have you covered—with equal parts humor, kindness, and the tough love you didn’t know you needed.