Valentine’s day is less than a week away, which means it is the season for pink and red decorations, chocolate and, of course, love. While some of you lucky guys or gals have a special someone for the big day, many do not. Trying to maintain good grades, stay well rested and continue hanging out with friends all while building a love life can be nearly impossible at times. But for those who want to do it all, a more manageable method has become available: online dating.
Making the move, even in the digital world, is a great step toward finding your love. Photo by Courtland JeffreyBefore you write it off, many people have found love on the digital world. Since the Internet is almost always at our fingertips, jumping online is a cinch. Some of the more popular sites, like Match.com and eHarmony, only offer their full arsenal of online love options by paying for a monthly subscription. The best bet for the economically minded is to find a site that offers the core functions for free, like OKCupid. Also, if you want to keep your dating life focused on a certain aspect, like race, religion or school, there are sites specifically out there to cater to these wants. Do not feel overwhelmed by the vast options that the web has to offer, you just need to try them out and figure out what is right for you.
Once you have gotten settled into the online dating world, check out the people that the site recommends. More than likely, you will be sifting through a long list of people, but keep your mind open! Send that person you find attractive a message, maybe they will respond and it will start a budding relationship. The other nice option is that these sites can be taken with you on your smart device with apps. If you get into a good conversation with NerdyGirl23, you can continue talking wherever you go.
Yes, it is completely understandable that you are hesitant about entering into this new realm. It is unknown to you and can hold the social stigma that it is for desperate people. Let’s be clear: it is not just for desperate people! The combination of the dating and the online worlds is still beginning to find its place in society. While my recommendation is to try out these sites, you should generally use it just to meet people; nothing will beat that face-to-face interaction.
If you have any online dating stories or comments that you want to share, let me know on Twitter @Court_Jeffrey or via email at cejeffre@asu.edu. Happy love-seeking!
