Elisa Morales
The Signal
Déjà vu. It is 6 p.m. on a Friday night and I’m scrolling through Facebook news feed to see what everyone is doing. This is the life!
Who am I kidding?
The clock strikes midnight and there’s no pumpkin, but here I am still sitting on the couch flipping through the TV channels, thinking of places go.
You know what I am talking about if I just described your typical weekend nights. Having to work and going to school full time leaves me with little time to go out and meet people. This single life is getting pretty boring and, honestly, even with so much going on, I have the nagging feeling that there must be something better out there.
I used to be skeptical about joining online dating services; I was embarrassed to admit that I couldn’t meet someone while out with friends or on my own. Logically, I know virtual interaction is something so normal in a world filled with technology, where people are increasingly more comfortable communicating through online social media.
Throughout the years I’ve made great friendships in chat rooms, including the 13-year relationship I have with my best friend. Ok, I have convinced myself. I am now determined to jump on the online dating bandwagon. I am ready to open my heart in hopes that this will lead to finding that special someone; it isn’t such a bad idea after all.
It is 6 p.m. on a Friday night, and once again I find myself sitting in front of the computer, only this time I am on an online dating site summarizing myself in 200 words or less. After composing my personal résumé, I upload several pictures – all recent, no photoshopping. Now comes the fun part – narrowing the list to find the most compatible match.
I quickly deduce that no one reads through the entire profile, as I found myself “window shopping” rather than taking the time to read through it all – kind of like a kid in a candy store. What, or in this case whom, do I choose? Who would have thought that joining online dating would give me access to a database of so many people who are in my same situation? I expressed some interest in some of my matches, and although not all will respond, at least the ball is now rolling.
I communicated with a few people as soon as my profile went visible. Some of those I am still getting to know and a few others just disappeared within a week without saying a word. I feel that there are a handful of people with whom I may be compatible, but after initiating a conversation, I realized that my expectations are not as high as theirs – their profile never said anything about looking for “perfection.” So, the search for the right person continues.
While I am new to this online dating scene, I have found it to be fun. Meeting different people with similar interests and maybe not-so-similar ideas is what it is all about; I especially like the fact that I don’t have to spend another weekend night scrolling through my Facebook feed.
I have yet to go out on a date with one of my “matches,” but I’m looking forward to the direction of this new adventure. In life we have to take risks to get where we want to be. You want to meet someone, but can’t find the time or the place to do so? The next best alternative is to join the online dating world. Of course, I am not saying to give someone you meet online your phone number and life story within minutes of knowing each other. You have to be smart and play it safe; precautions must be taken when you are communicating with unknown people.
Some people may still scoff at the idea of online dating, but it makes perfect sense as I met two of my best friends and know several couples who met through online media. At least I am doing something proactive rather than waiting for the perfect person to come knocking at my door while I sit at home. Believe me, I have waited long enough.
