Dating Apps and Sites
The world of dating websites and apps can be overwhelming, but there are a few good ones you should plug into if you want a decent shot at not sitting home with your cats on a Friday night.
If you want to hook up with people nearby with mutual interests, Blendr (straight folks) or Grinder (gay/bisexual men) are good options. With these apps, you can meet someone new wherever you are, such as on a bus or at a football game. Match.com is still a favorite dating site, seeing as it’s one of the most widely used sites in the world. Build your profile by answering a variety of questions, and communicate anonymously through its special email network. Or Plenty of Fish (POF) boasts 3 million users. The best part is that, unlike other sites, POF is completely free. Take its chemistry test to be matched with other daters who are good fits for your emotional needs.
Dating Etiquette
Now that you have signed up for a couple of apps or sites, you need to think about building your profiles. Think of your profiles as your brand and marketing hook. Everything you say or don’t say is the image someone else is evaluating, often in just a few seconds or minutes. Once someone pings you to start chatting, your communication style and responsiveness continue to say a lot about you. Most importantly, don’t act like someone you aren’t because you are less likely to find a compatible match.
If you don’t know how to use Skype, now is the time to get cozy with online chat. Be prepared for texting and video calls being the norm before an in-person meeting. However, don’t linger in the land of texting and Facebook messaging too long. After a week or two, move to in-person meetings. And don’t be that person who texts 50 messages at 2 a.m. or who sends a text when you haven’t heard from your connection in an hour.
You also shouldn’t stalk your potential suitors on Facebook or any other “anyone-can-be-a-detective” website. You don’t want to spoil the fun of your first real date by already knowing the person’s favorite breakfast food, favorite childhood movie, and first-grade teacher. Besides, Facebook can’t tell you if someone is a serial killer or a nutjob anyway. For that, you have to use your good old-fashioned intuition.
Dating Technology
Dating TechnologyIf you don’t have an up-to-date smartphone, you must get one to enter the dating scene with gusto. After all, you don’t want your phone to signal that you are a dinosaur or out of touch with the times. Newer phones have more capabilities, including memory for running apps, the ability to take selfies, and the ability to video chat from anywhere.
The iPhone 6 is a great choice because it takes amazing photos and signals that you keep up with the latest technology. The App Store even has an app called Burner that lets you graciously leave bad dates with a phone number that can be burned afterward so that person can’t find you again.
