By Eleanore Wells for Galtime.com
When did dating become so complicated? Actually, it isn’t the dating part that’s so complicated as much as it is the meeting someone to date part. It almost seems that the more options for meeting someone that there are, the harder it is to actually meet someone. Here’s a round-up of the many options modern-day daters have to help them find true love:
1. Friends. Asking friends to introduce you to someone is still one of the best ways to find Mr./Ms. Right. Your friends know you and probably aren’t going to introduce you to someone who’s going to be a disaster.
2. Flirting. See someone interesting? Smile. Wink. Hope for the best.
3. Matchmakers. Professionals who will find “the one” for you… for a fee.
4. Singles Party. Throw a party. Only single people allowed. Ask friends to bring other single friends.
5. MeetUp.com. This is an informal online social networking site that facilitates offline group meetings of like-minded people for a range of activities. Including dining, bowling, hiking, cooking, biking, etc.
6. Singles Events. Stir by Match.com offers social events, such as cooking classes, happy hours, and cocktail parties for members of Match.com. If you are more of an IRL lady, this is a great way to be social and learn how to mix a perfect martini or whip up a souffle.
7. Online Dating. Match, OKCupid, eHarmony, Christian Mingle, JDate, Black People Meet, How About We. This is not an exhaustive list of online dating sites, but these are among the most popular. They all work pretty much the same. Complete a profile questionnaire, add a picture (or don’t), then search or let the site search for you.
8. Grouper. Grouper sets you up with three Facebook strangers, but they don’t like to call them “dates”. It’s a social service that sets you and two friends up with three strangers based on your Facebook profile. Sign up for Grouper via your Facebook account, and it sets you up with someone of the opposite sex whom you’re not Facebook friends with. There are no profiles on the site; they do the matchmaking, and you all meet at a place of Grouper’s choosing. Grouper says 93% of participants want to do another one. Currently, the service is about twice as popular with women.
9. Crazy Blind Date. This is an iPhone/Android app. An OKCupid profile is not required, but it makes it much easier. Choose a date and time, a bar or coffee shop from the app’s recommendations, then choose from among 4 people the app suggests. You’re supposed to spend only 20 minutes on the date, then rate it on the app. Cost is about $3.
10. Other Blind Date Apps. Tawkify. MeetCute. Meet Moi. These apps set up blind dates for you. All you have to do is just show up… and hope be pleasantly surprised. Clearly, it can go the other way, as well.
11. Location-based Dating App. Tinder is location-based and identifies people nearby who the user might know, and connects them if both are interested. Feels creepy to me… but I’m sure it could be fun, as well. It helps if you like surprises.
I’m not sure if the techy ones are more efficient than finding love through family and friends, but they certainly are more creative.
So here we are with seemingly a zillion options (or at least 11) at our disposal for finding love, and yet the rate of singles is higher than it’s ever been in this country. I wonder what it all means? Are we seriously looking for “the one”, or does having this many options make it harder than ever? How can you choose just one, when there are so many?
Which way (or ways) do you prefer to meet new people? Share your comments below.
