Online dating has gotten a bad rap. All those broken hearts caused by fake profiles, unreturned DMs, and faulty algorithms have created a stigma around online dating.
But, truth be told, online dating isn’t all that bad. In the same way that online communications (email!), online shopping, and online banking aren’t the devil incarnate, there are plenty of benefits of online dating.
If you’re about to give up on looking for the love of your life or your next hot summer fling, don’t. Give online dating a chance. Here are a few reasons why you should.
What Is Online Dating, Really?
When people think about online dating, Tinder comes to mind. But Tinder isn’t all there is to online dating. There are plenty of services and apps that allow people to meet a romantic partner online. And these don’t necessarily have to be hookups.
In fact, online dating came to light in the mid-1990s, when the Internet was in its infancy. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan made it look so endearing in “You’ve Got Mail”.
These days, online dating goes beyond exchanging anonymous emails. One of the advantages of online dating apps is the added security of having identity-verified profiles so that you know you’re talking to a real person, not a robot.
Positives of Online Dating
In the beginning, online dating was seen as the last resort of the desperate. People were afraid of doing anything online because the Internet was new.
These days, people are so used to conducting their affairs online. They bank, they shop, they watch movies online. They even buy stocks, go to school, and sell things online.
So it’s no surprise that they also date online. Of course, it has its downsides, but that’s not to say you shouldn’t give online dating a chance.
Swipe right, swipe left, and find someone you’re looking for
One of the best advantages of online dating is the speed at which you can be matched. If you’ve been taking years to find someone at a singles bar, a dating app can match you with someone in literal minutes.
Of course, that’s not always a guarantee of finding true love or even someone you can spend one hot night with, but at least you won’t be taking years to find someone.
Keep your wallet in check, for now
Using a dating app doesn’t cost much. There are plenty of apps out there that you can use for free, in exchange for getting ads. Even premium apps typically don’t cost much.
Online dating services admittedly do cost more. Some of them, such as eHarmony and Elite Singles, charge a monthly subscription fee to join.
Still, that’s more affordable than what you spend on dinner and drinks and all the preparations that take place before that (clothes, makeup, bikini wax, etc.).
You’ll still have to spend some money if you eventually decide to meet up, but you can at least start getting to know each other from the comfort of your own homes.
Open up right from the start
Online dating allows you to share bits and pieces of your life with someone before you go out with them. It creates connections fast, which allows you to get to know each other better even before you go out.
You can discuss your needs and challenges. You can even discuss your turn-ons and turn-offs way before you meet in person. This will help you find potential partners who are exactly what you’re looking for.
For example, if you’re a non-smoker and you don’t want to be around someone who smokes, you can let potential dates know from the get-go. You don’t have to wait to meet in person only to be surprised to find out they have smoker’s breath when they give you a hug.
Relax and be yourself
Perhaps one of the best positives of online dating is it’s far less stressful than dating the traditional way.
Think about it. When you see a beautiful woman sitting alone at a bar, you find yourself in an inner debate if you should walk up to her or not.
When you’re finally able to chalk up the nerve to talk to her and she politely accepts your offer of a drink, you find it painful to make small talk in a loud bar.
And even if she gives you a phone number, you have no way of knowing if that’s even the right number until your next date.
Making good first impressions while dating is extremely stressful. With online dating, you get to know someone online first. There’s far less pressure on you. If the match doesn’t work, you can move on and look for someone else.
Stay safe
Most people are worried about safety, but reputable dating apps and sites have stringent security measures in place.
They have security tools to prevent frauds and scams and reporting tools so you can report anyone who gets past the security checks.
It goes without saying that online daters should use a bit of common sense too. To keep yourself safe, take time to get to know someone you like online. Go on a virtual date with them on Skype or Zoom so you can see each other face to face.
When you meet up, do so in a public place with plenty of people around. Make arrangements to arrive and leave via rideshare. If you feel safe and happy all throughout the experience, you can always ask for the next date.
The Takeaway
There are always advantages and disadvantages of online dating, as with everything else.
You don’t have to ignore what’s bad about online dating, but you don’t have to focus all your sights on.
What you focus on expands, and if you focus on what’s good about things, the good things expand as well. When you choose to look at online dating in a good way, you’ll see good results show up for you.
