Over the last five to ten years, the online dating world has skyrocketed, revolutionizing the way singles meet and communicate with one another. Almost no first dates are completely blind dates anymore—even if you’re set up and don’t meet through an internet dating service, you can usually dig up information on your date via social and professional networking sites. While there are a few negatives to this procedural dating change, the benefits far outweigh the costs. If you haven’t joined a service yet, or are thinking about letting yours expire, consider the information below before making a decision.
- The odds are on your side—Online Dating Magazine estimates that there are over 120,000 marriages per year featuring couples that met through online dating sites. This could be because over 20 million people visit at least one internet dating service per month.
- The opportunities are endless online—At some point, you’ll run out of friends of friends, have dated all your cute co-workers and gotten sick of the local bar scene. When this occurs, your chances of meeting that special someone will drop severely. However, if you join an online dating site, your pool will expand far beyond those realms and never really drain.
- You can skip the small talk—After going on seemingly hundreds of first dates, going through the typical “what do you do,” “where did you grow up,” “what are your hobbies” questions can get exhausting. Online dating bypasses these first steps by providing answers to basic questions before you meet in person or talk on the phone.
- You can target your search—It can be frustrating to know what you want and not be able to find it. While there are many fish in the sea, sometimes it feels like there are too many. Let modern technology do the work for you by 1) choosing a service that narrows the field (i.e., a religiously affiliated one) and 2) using the search function the service offers to filter choices.
- Your nerves will thank you—Heading out on a first, second or even third date can cause major anxiety. Being able to see pictures and information on your date before you meet, confirms that you have a lot in common and are attracted to them, reducing the stress and providing a starting point for conversation.
Online dating is far less time consuming and far more productive than going at it the old way. Don’t completely abandon your pre-2000 tactics, but be reassured that there are now many more ways to skin the dating cat.
