Theresa Nist, a 71-year-old woman, has found herself in an interesting situation. She has a plethora of suitors, some of whom are half her age. In an exclusive chat with PEOPLE, she shares her experiences of dating again after her divorce from Gerry Turner.

Navigating the Dating Scene

Currently, Theresa is staying away from dating apps but that doesn't stop people from reaching out to her through Instagram direct messages. She is astonished by the young age of these suitors. "I do get approached through Instagram direct messages, but you wouldn't believe how young these guys are. They're so young that they're younger than my son!" she exclaims. Theresa laughs as she mentions 33-year-olds approaching her.Theresa's divorce from Gerry Turner was a significant event. They got engaged during the finale episode of The Golden Bachelor in November 2023 and tied the knot in a live televised wedding special in January 2024. However, just three months into marriage, they announced their decision to divorce during a joint interview on Good Morning America on April 12, 2024, the same day Turner officially filed. Turner had been diagnosed with a slow-growing bone marrow cancer weeks before their split. Theresa clarifies that his diagnosis was not a factor in the end of the relationship for her. "If that was something on his part, maybe, I don't know. But no, that didn't factor into ending the relationship," she says. "Part of it was the distance, but that wasn't the only part. That's really all I will say."

Finding Love Again

Though Theresa wants to find her next great love, she hasn't been on any dates since the divorce. "I have been asked, and I've said no," she admits. She is more clear on what she wants now and doesn't want to waste anyone's time. She definitely wants to be with someone and believes life is better with a partner. But she also acknowledges that it's hard for young people to find someone, and for her at 71, it's even more challenging. The number 71 scares people, she says.Theresa confesses that she's "not sure" if she'd like to get married again but is looking for a partner with a sense of "passion." She explains, "Like passion for something you love to do, something that makes you wake up and want to get out of bed in the morning. It's intelligence. It's to be able to speak on the same level. And that's really unique when you start talking to someone, whether or not you, you're understanding each other at your core."

Considering Younger Partners

Though she'd like to "date someone younger," Theresa says she'd consider potential partners who are "maybe 10 years younger" at the most. She believes that up to a certain point, age doesn't matter. "To me, age, it doesn't matter up to a point," she explains. "But too young, we are just not culturally the same, we didn't experience the same things growing up, the same music, the same movies. It's hard to have a conversation. And I don't think that anything is too old. It's just your energy. It's who you are basically."Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.