6 Things to Look Out For When Online Dating - One Love Foundation 6 Things to Look Out For When Online Dating.
When youre too busy to go out but youre ready to meet someone new, online dating can be the perfect change of pace.
We live in a digital world, so it 6 Things to Look Out For When Online Dating.
When youre too busy to go out but youre ready to meet someone new, online dating can be the perfect change of pace.
We live in a digital world, so it makes sense that were starting to date in one, too.
Having navigated my fair share of cheesy pick-up lines and bad dates, I know from experience that online dating can be just as complicated as dating IRL.
With dating apps like Bumble, OKCupid, PlentyOfFish, and Tinder connecting with someone online is more convenient and complicated than ever.
Below Ive compiled 6 things to look out for when online dating: 1.
They Barely Fill Out their Profile.
An online profile creates a quick and easy place to highlight splices of someones life and personality.
You can display your hobbies, interests, pastimes, friends, or family if you want to.
While judgment can be an unfortunate result of the quick swipe-left-or-swipe-right decision , try to look at what they are choosing to highlight about their personality through their profile picture.
Are they showing off that they can rock a keg stand or that they traveled to Fiji and swam with stingrays?
Im not saying you should write someone off completely if their profile isnt exactly well-rounded, but you can use their profile as a tool to determine if you have anything in common or if something beyond their looks intrigues you.
2.
They Use Raunchy Pick-Up Lines.
If you look at Tinder Nightmares, youll entertain yourself for hours reading through many peoples failed attempts to grab someones attention with a raunchy or peculiar pick-up line.
Although this is entertaining for us, its not as entertaining if youre the one receiving the uncomfortable and violating messages from online trolls.
How someone initiates a conversation with you will say a lot about how they view you as a person and how they might treat you as a partner.
Did they comment on your body in a sexual manner or did they ask you what breed your cute dog is in your picture?
You may get your fair share of cheesy pick-up lines, some can be endearing and charming while others can be crude and demeaning.
Humor can be a wonderful icebreaker, but also remember you are worth more than a lame pick up line.
Someone who truly wants to get to know you will take the time to do so.
3.
They Are Controlling.
After the initial ice breaker conversation, what does the rest of the conversation look like?
Its always a good idea to test the waters before agreeing to meet this person IRL.
Your first few conversations with someone new should be easy going.
If someone is coming on really strong right away, or they pressure you to meet in person before youre ready, feel free to pump the breaks and set some boundaries.
If they dont respect those boundaries, then they arent respecting you.
Additionally, if someone is giving you a checklist right away of all of the things they want in a future partner, this may be a red flag for some controlling behaviors.
Its one thing if they express their non-negotiables but its another thing entirely if they are listing required traits.
In a healthy relationship, you should feel free to be you.
If you feel like someone is already trying to change things about you to suit their needs, thats not okay.
4.
They Are Mysterious.
Online dating leaves a lot up to mystery, which can be alluring and exciting to some but may also be a warning sign that youre not getting the whole truth.
My friend agreed to go out with someone she met online and they had a really great time together.
They got dinner and talked for hours, and it was overall a very nice date.
She was excited to see him again and he seemed just as excited.
They made plans to go out again, but he canceled last minute, saying his cat had died.
After giving him some time to cope with his cat passing away, he made plans to see her again and she was thrilled.
He canceled the date last minute again because he said his grandma had died.
Although this seemed too tragic to be true, she gave him the benefit of the doubt that he was telling the truth.
He disappeared for a couple of weeks.
When he finally reached out again, she agreed to go out with him and they had yet another wonderful date.
At the end of the date, they took a cab back to his apartment.