Digital Dating

"Where do I meet a guy?" This is the most common phrase that I've noticed  among my single girlfriends. We all have the same complaint- if you don't meet someone while you are in college, dating prospects really diminish as your age increases. You could walk up to strangers at the grocery store, but then again there are only so many things you can say about peaches before things turn awkward.

 The  lack of eligible bachelors usually leads to a conversation about online dating. People typically have a lot of opinions about this new form of digital dating, but I've found myself on the fence about it. Therefore, I decided to poll my friends to see if the world of online dating was worth dipping a toe into.

PROS

• Apparently online dating is the new way to date. I got a lot of techie people telling me that in a few years this will be the only way that people will meet. I should also mention that only my guy friends had this response.
• According to recent findings, the divorce rate of people who meet online is only 25%. This is because people have already laid out their non-negotiables as far as what shit they are not willing to put up with. Makes sense right?
• You can pick the person that you attracted to, have the same interests as, and are looking for the same things.
• People have made it work. Every time I asked someone what they thought about online dating, the first response was usually, "Oh, you know so and so, they totally met online and now they are getting married!"

CONS

• My number one feeling about online dating: Stranger Danger. 
• People are weird, creepy, and/or liars. Just watch Catfish for like 10 minutes and you'll see what I mean.
• Instead of just talking to someone you are attracted to, you order them off of a menu. "Hmm, I think I'll take tall, athletic, brain surgeon who enjoys barbecues and ping pong." You could blow someone off just because they wrote something boneheaded on their profile, isn't that like judging a book by its cover?
• People online might not have the same intentions that you do. I have a friend that went on a date with a guy after she broke up with her boyfriend for the sole purpose of trying to get through a new date without crying. She's not looking for love. Nor is the guy whose profile picture is taken in his bathroom mirror with his shirt lifted up to display his 42 pack.

So, what is the general consensus? I think that online dating is nothing more than a personal preference. We are all looking for love, and more often than not in the wrong places. I say follow your bliss and find a good wingman, the rest will all fall into place.