Congratulations! You have decided to take the cyber plunge and a chance at finding love on-line. "Congratulations" is not a phrase that you expect to hear, as there is still a certain stigma attached to surfing through online personals for companionship.
People are lead down this path to possible virtual bliss by several means, most of which can be simplified down to one statement: conventional methods for meeting that special someone have failed you. It is difficult to see someone's personality from across a smoke-filled room, impossible to hear his thoughts over the thumping bass, and hard to tell from a newspaper personal ad if he has children or ever wants to travel, get married or go back to school.
Here is your "Starter Kit" for on-line dating. You have made the decision--now what? There are a number of on-line dating services; however, they have several common qualities: relatively fast, private, not responsible for any outcome--positive or otherwise { see Terms of Service } and sectioned into types of searches ( age, gender, physical and religious preferences, etc. ). The type of site that best suits you depends on your style.
Don't have a clue where to start? Check out www.match.com. This site not only suggests strategies and provides articles about online dating to make you feel more comfortable but it is also an Online-dating service itself. It answers questions about the possible costs associated with these sites and has a free membership option. The costs of online-dating and personals sites range from free, free for seven days, free for women, or up to $69.95/year. They also describe the amount of work you need to put into your personal profile and if you can be a browser for free.
Be prepared with your personal profile before you try out the sites. Most sites will prompt you to choose an ID. Remember to keep it anonymous but simple ( ie: suepizza ). This ID will be used by you when logging into the site, and by others to communicate with you.
Catch people's attention by attaching a photograph to your personal write up or using a caption. Consider making it available to only those whom you choose to give it to if this is an option. Be careful when choosing a caption, as interpretation sometimes gets lost in cyberspace. You might think "Energy to Burn" means you like to spend time at the gym; however, it may be interpreted differently. Be creative. Be honest.
Know which qualities you find attractive, and which you find unacceptable. The amount of information you reveal is up to you. Most sites allow for up to 2,000 characters of text in a profile. Some profiles offer choices ( Match.com will ask you to click on favorite hobbies, sports, television programs, music, etc. Whereas
American singles.com won't).
Other questions to consider:
· How far would you travel for a date?
· Would you date a "social smoker", but not a "smoker"?
· Would you date someone with kids?
· Do you ever want to get married?
· What is your idea of a casual night out?
· Define romance?
· How would you describe your body type?
· What physical qualities are you looking for in a potential mate?
As in all Internet communication, security is key. Do not reveal personal information ( full name, address, phone number, e-mail address, place of work, etc. ) in your personal profile, and be sensible if you choose to give it out later. Some sites will police themselves and delete this information. You are trusting that the individuals contacting you are being upfront and honest with their intentions, but there are no guarantees.
A good suggestion is to create an e-mail address solely for this communication. MSN Hotmail is a great choice ( when entering your name for a Hotmail account, use your first initial and only a portion of your last name ). This will be visible to those you contact. Read the Terms of Service in any site you use.
Your personal profile is a powerful tool. It allows a glimpse into who you are and also shows that you are a very brave soul, indeed. Good luck with all of your online relationships!!!
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