Online Dating

By Allison Sass

"Recent studies show that 1 in 5 relationships begin online". You've probably heard this statement blaring from your television during a match.com commercial and thought "not my relationships!!". I know I did before last November.

To me, online dating only represented negative things. 1. it meant that the people who joined these sites were clearly desperate. 2. it inevitably included creepy moustached men who lied about their age and had hidden dangerous agendas. And.. 3. online dating just seemed so impersonal. People judge you based on a picture and a paragraph about yourself... need I say more.

I remained on my "too good for online matchmaking" horse until last November when a few friends joined Okcupid.com just for fun. At first, I was completely against the idea, and then in a sudden revelation thought "why not just try it?".

I signed myself up, and you know what? I realized that on top of all of my apprehensions, having an online dating profile is actually pretty entertaining. I didn't ever take my experience too seriously, but did end up meeting someone great who had never tried online dating before either. 7+ months later, and we are both very happy we chose to step out of our comfort zones. :)

For post grads who are new to an area and looking to get out and meet some new people, or who are searching for a special someone (it's okay to admit that readers!!)- I urge you to at least try online dating before you knock it. Some popular sites include okcupid.com, match.com, eharmony.com, and zoosk.com- but there are many more, google it.

Of course, be sure to use caution when meeting anyone in person that you've been talking to online. Don't meet for the first time in a private place, and take caution when getting into cars with strangers. Use the same precautions you might use if you met a potential mate at a bar or party. Get to know this person before trusting them.

But also remember to have fun! Meeting new people is always an experience. If you are looked down on by friends or family, brush it off and simply remind them that with a closed-off judgemental  attitude, they could be missing out on something great.