Party Scene or Computer Screen?

When first introduced, cyber dating had some stigma associated with it. Many people thought of it as a lazy, anti-social way of meeting people. Fortunately, time has changed that idea and more and more couples are meeting online.

Studies show that now one in five couples meet online. Usually, most people wait until they are in their late-20s or later, to try online dating, but it is becoming increasingly popular among college students. But while that may be the reality, unfortunately it is not considered completely socially acceptable for college-aged young adults to resort to the internet to find a significant other.

Emma Davis, senior at Marymount College, confessed her experiences and opinions with online dating. “I have tried online dating, but I would never do it again. I do think it’s socially acceptable because we live in an age where it’s more likely that people will meet others somewhere on the internet than at a bar or out. The reason I’d never use an online site again is because it is really scary not knowing the person on the other side of the computer. You don’t know if they are a creep!”

Even if students get past the status quo about online dating, there is still the cost of these dating sites to consider. The most popular sites like Match.com and eHarmony.com require a subscription.

Dr. Jennifer Gibbs, an associate professor at Rutgers University, has done in depth research on online dating. She also met her husband on Match.com. “I think that online dating is a great way of widening your social network. It gives you access to a whole new pool of people. I think it’s least popular with college students because they’re constantly meeting new people. Many students don’t want to have to pay for an online dating site so they’re using sites like OkCupid and PlentyOfFish. Many students still see a stigma with online dating because they don’t realize that all you do is have initial contact with a person. You still have to meet up with them and proceed with the relationship like you met any other place.”

Mike Brill, senior at Boston College, explained his perspective on online dating. “I think it’d be a smart idea, but I think the idea of it scares and embarrasses people. The common ideology is that online dating is for older people who can’t find someone after trying every other way. I would never use it just because I think communication in person is still the best way.”

Just be careful and use good judgment when sifting through the profiles and then making the step to meet in person.