Hey guys so this was another requested topic and I must say it is a popular topic especially in today’s society filled with media and online interactions. I love the requests and feedback, so please keep it coming. Now first I would like to say that I do not see a problem with online dating and I am all for it. Did you know that 1 in 5 relationships start out from online dating websites (lol- i couldnt help but sound like that match.com commercial) With that said online dating is not for everyone. I am not currently on any dating websites but I have used one in the past so I think I can give a little input based on my experience and opinion. Also I have quite a few friends that are on dating websites themselves. I don’t think being on a dating website is something to be ashamed of. Today everyone is so busy, and meeting someone in the club is getting old and not really the best place in my opinion. If you choose to try online dating I suggest researching all the different sites that they have out there. They have paid sites like match.com and eharmony and then there are free sites like plenty of fish and okcupid. I have used okcupid and it has it’s ups and downs. First things first if you are going to try online dating PLEASE BE safe. I cannot stress it enough.

Do’s:
-Meet in a public place, like a mall or well known area – if you are in the NY area- i like times square because there are cops everywhere, or a starbucks
-Tell a friend where you are going and with whom
-You can look up the person online- background check- if you feel it is necessary
-If possible turn on the GPS feature on your phone while on the date
-Go on a couple of dates and really get to know a person before you let them in on private details of your life (like exactly where you work or live)
-Be Truthful on your page, for ex: if you have kids, put that information on your page, if you leave that info out it makes it seem as if your kids are not important to you or like you are trying to hide something
-Be positive, nobody likes a negative debby downer or party pooper
-Put up a nice picture that is about 3/4 of your head and your body that shows you smiling and represents who you are in a positive way
-Read a potential dater’s FULL PAGE- don’t half ass it- you will regret it later

Dont’s:
-Don’t put up a ronchy picture- meaning don’t put up a picture showing too much skin, or pushing your butt out and your boobs or a picture of your genitals(highly inappropriate btw) this gives off the wrong message and if you are looking for something serious, it won’t be the vibe you give off simply from a picture
-Have a picture, if you are on a dating website without a picture, shame on you, its not fair that you know what they look like but they don’t know what you look like-don’t be a creeper
-Don’t send one line messages- it tends to get old, bring up something or ask a question
-Do not meet at your house or at your date’s house, this goes for guys/girls you meet offline too
– Do not get drunk with this person- you do not want a stranger taking advantage of you
-Be Vague- if there is no information on your page why would anyone want to date you or even have an interest- you might get lucky if you have a great picture, but then you know that they only contacted you because of your picture and nothing else
-Don’t fabricate-i can usually detect bs from a mile away- leave it at the door

****Now in my opinion here is the Pros and Cons of online dating- from the perspective of Okcupid

Pros:
-Okcupid provides questions that you can answer that show how compatible you might be with another person- that way if you don’t have that much of a compatability percentage you don’t need to date them
-You can decide who you want to contact and who cant contact you- married individuals, smokers etc
-You can get to know someone from a distance before you even decide you want to take time out and actually meet them
-You can meet more people than you would normally meet outside in a shorter amount of time
-It saves time
-There is somewhat of a screening process-depending on what website you use

Cons:
-Not everyone is who they say they are-beware of fakes- be safe and do your research
-Some people have very blank pages- but you do not need to write them or respond to them
-Sometimes there are creeps and weirdos that send you creepy or disturbing messages- BLOCK THEM or report them
-Some people only have one picture up that shows nothing or shows a side profile which doesn’t let you know exactly what they look like- ask for more pictures- if they refuse- keep it moving
-Some people don’t look like their pictures- this has not happened to me but I have heard stories from friends- smh smh
-People fabricate their profiles to make them sound like they are selling a really amazing product—if it seems too phony- walk away- no one is perfect

Be Truthful, Be SAFE and remember to have fun and be yourself : )

Kisses