My e-mail in-box is holding up rather poorly in the sudden onslaught of e-mails I’ve recently received.
Apparently, HockeyGuy56 has winked at me. As has Average Joe 007 (profile names have been changed to doubly protect their identities) and many others with random made-up names that try to portray their personalities in 8-13 characters.
In this Internet-savvy world, we are doing our banking online, our shopping online, and now a surprising amount of young adults are doing their dating online.
The Internet plays a huge role in people’s lives, but should it really dictate our personal lives as well?
Dating involves getting to know people, which ““ call me crazy ““ is a lot more helpful when you do it in person. Whether we realize it or not, Internet dating allows us to avoid reality and interactions with real people.
Last week, I finally decided to satiate my curiosity of the growing Internet dating world. But while meeting people on the Internet gives others confidence and a chance for a new persona, I found myself almost as confused and frightened as when I meet people in the real world.
With the free trial subscription I signed up for, I can give “winks” (the equivalent of Facebook pokes but with less stimulation) to the guys who strike my fancy. Unfortunately, I was so freaked out about the idea of virtually winking at someone that I still haven’t gotten around to it.
There are literally millions of profiles on Internet dating sites that I could search through to find a match for me.
All I have to do is create a profile, answer some generic questions that hopefully will divulge my unique personality to people, and submit the most flattering photos that I have of myself.
Voila! My e-mail in-box hasn’t seen this much action since some company sold my information and I started receiving tons of advice on how I could maintain my erection.
At the still-ripe age of 22, I find myself missing the simple days when meeting someone required a presentable outfit and interesting conversation topics, not high-speed Internet.
We shouldn’t be so terrified of meeting people face to face. I know it can be pretty nerve-racking to face rejection, but I found that even with Internet dating, I was embarrassed, too.
Whether you’re meeting someone online or in person, there is still the possibility of rejection. And maybe we need to face that rejection. It can be a little harsh, but it’s reality.
Internet dating sites promise to find you a match, and I know we want that guarantee in life, but sometimes you just have to find one on your own and in your own time.
The reality is that meeting people is going to be a little scary and awkward at times, and it’s not going to happen in only a few months after putting in a set amount of money.
There are no guarantees.
People get in a huge rush to find their perfect match, but as college students, we have the privilege of taking our time.
We need to learn to take life a little more slowly. So many things are better when you let them come in their own time.
It’s like taking the trouble to go to the mall to try on the outfit before just buying it online. That way, you can be sure it’s actually the right fit for you.
If you’ve been curious about Internet dating, I’d say go ahead, give it a try. After all, I did. But before you put your trust in a Web site, put more trust in yourself.
We don’t ““ and shouldn’t ““ have to feel so rushed to find perfect relationships because it’s impossible. The good relationships are the ones that take time.
The Internet promises us that we can have quick, hassle-free transactions and interactions online.
But finding a person in reality whom you feel compatible with is definitely worth all the hassle.
E-mail bpoblador@media.ucla.edu for good conversations and satisfying winks. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.