Finding Love, Not Losers Online
Once upon a time, online dating wasn’t taken seriously. I remember first hearing about online dating and thinking it had to be someone’s last resort to finding love. Fast forward to the present day, online dating has grown in popularity and is everywhere. It seems like everyone has or has had a dating app on their phone at some point or other.
Feeling lovestruck online? Make sure your love interest really is who they say they are. (Photo: Syda Productions)
This sudden craze for online dating doesn’t mean it has magically become bulletproof. It may be more common, but there are still plenty of weirdos that slip through the cracks. There are the people who lie about their age, post photos that aren’t of themselves and of course the Catfish crowd. All these people who lie online ruin it for people genuinely trying to find a connection.
In order to weed out the losers and (potentially) find true love, follow these rules when online dating:
Creep
You need to creep to make sure you are not about to date a creep. If you are talking to anyone online, whether it be on a dating site or app, you need to look them up ASAP. I am talking Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, you name it. If you can find all their social media pages that is even better. You want to make sure this person really is who they say they are. You don’t want to think you are talking to an investment banker, but really he is unemployed. Or worse case scenario, this person ends up being a completely different person. Either way, better safe than sorry. Just make sure if this person checks out, you don’t admit to creeping — at least not for awhile.
Visuals
One thing I don’t understand on Catfish is how people think it is totally normal to never see the person they are talking to. Photos and videos are so easily accessible that there is really no excuse. So make an effort to see what this person really looks like before jumping into anything. If they refuse to make an effort or have a bizarre excuse, it is likely they have something to hide.
Back up
A lot of times, my friends who go on Tinder or Bumble dates ask someone else along. Whether it is making it a double date or going out together and meeting up, to even just sitting a few seats back at the bar and waiting for the sign. Whatever the case may be, we have each other’s back in case something goes wrong. Once a friend told a guy she met on Plenty of Fish to meet us at a bar. Luckily, we were with her because there was no chemistry, and we almost immediately ditched the poor soul. Your friends want what is best for you and want you to be safe, so don’t be shy to ask for back up.
Sometimes online dating ends in happily ever after. Other times it doesn’t. (Photo: Emily Wren Photography)
I’ve known plenty of people who have successfully found their significant other through an online dating site or app. But I also know a ton of people who have had to get through a lot of awkward dates to get to that point. If you have patience, you can truly find love online. It is very possible. Just remember to be cautious and really get to know who you are talking to. You don’t want to end up on the next season of Catfish.
Born and raised in Northern Virginia, Christina aspires to be a public relations professional in a big city after graduation from James Madison University. In her free time when she’s not blogging away about dating and relationships, Christina loves to go shopping, watch Netflix and play with every puppy that crosses her path.
