Online Dating

Throwing yourself into the realms of online dating can be a scary proposition.  Sure, there are scarier things, like being setup on a blind date by your cousin Cletus and finding yourself across the table from a hairy monster of a person who likes to collect earwax and has a pet boa constrictor.  The online dating world can’t be all bad; at least you have some idea of who you’re setting yourself up with. 

There are all sorts of different online dating sites out on the web, from general, large-scale sites to sites connecting people who have the same particular interest, like a dating site only for dog-lovers.  There are also online personal ads, either through craigslist or other personals sites, which are, if anything, a little more hit and miss than the online dating sites. 

Most dating sites work under the same general principles.  You post a profile about yourself, usually including a photograph and as much information as you want about who you are, your interests, your hobbies, and the sort of person you’re looking for.  Then you are free to browse other people’s profiles to find someone compatible with you, or some sites even have automated programs which will suggest other people who have the same sort of interests you do. 

Can you find your soul mate through online dating services?  Maybe.  Your odds aren’t any worse than trolling the neighborhood bars on a Friday or Saturday night.  To find someone through an online dating service who is truly compatible with yourself, you may want to follow a few rules of thumb.  The first and most important is that you should be honest, both with yourself and with other people.  Make yourself look good in your profile, but make sure that any photos you post are of you and not of somebody who you think is better looking.  Talk about your true hobbies; don’t say you’re an extreme skier and skydiver if you’re neither.  Also, be sure you’re honest about the sort of person you’re looking to find.  If you really can’t stand people who love cats or who listen to punk music, don’t be afraid to say so.  The more honest you are in your profile and when you contact other singles, the more likely you are to avoid chasing down dead ends or getting stuck in a restaurant with someone you can’t stand.  Also, if you’re meeting up with your online date for the first time, don’t be afraid to take things slow or to leave if things don’t feel right; the beauty of online dating is that there are always lots of options to choose from.