Online Dating can be fun...even exciting. It can open new and interesting relationships for you. Who knows? You might even find the love of your life online. Why not? You can find everything else.
However, you do need to follow some simple guidelines to make your Online Dating experiences not only fun but safe, as well.
The world is full of nice people but there are a few bad apples so you will need to protect yourself. If you haven't yet tried Online Dating, here are a few things to consider.
Start Slow
The first thing is to start slow. Use only reputable Online Dating services. Trust your instincts about prospective dates. Remember the old saying, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Warning! Be very careful not to give out too much personal information to strangers. Never give your real name, address or phone number. Do not reveal where you work. Get a free email account like Hotmail or Yahoo! and do not give your “real” email address until you know a person well.
Use good common sense and due diligence about trusting people. We all want to trust and to be open. But it's not a good idea to do that until you are well acquainted with a person you have never met before.
Tip: Don't limit your contact to just online chats. Talk on the telephone after you are comfortable giving your phone number. Ask for a picture, too, preferably a recent photo.
Don't be pressured into a face-to-face meeting until you are comfortable with it and then make the first meeting in a public place. Arrange with a friend to call you during your first meeting to be sure you are safe.
Online Dating can be not only fun but rewarding. It does have pitfalls so just use your common sense and stay safe.
Something Else You Should Know
Even as you start slow, you should keep the relationship on a pace you are comfortable with. Don't rush!
It's also important NOT to reveal EVERYTHING about yourself in too short a time span. While protecting yourself is partially the reason, the other good reason is that you don't want to “spoil the suspense too soon” or “burst the bubble” like some would like to quote.
For example, if:
- You are an avid tennis player,
- You love to play the guitar,
- You like reading science fiction,
- You admire some celebrities, and so on,
It is best NOT to reveal all these to your chosen partner too soon. Dispense your personal information bit by bit, progressive by time, in as much interesting a person you can be.
This is often the weakness of interesting people - they tell everything about themselves so much so it's difficult for their partner to digest.
While it is perfectly understandable one would love to share his or her interests with his new found partner across the line, the consequence is often bad when he or she runs of out interesting things to tell.
Call it a way to quickly kill the future conversations and reasons to meet the other person online, if you want to, but given the several reasons, it is ideal if you reveal your personal information and interest on a progressive manner, in the name of personal safety or not.
