Meeting new people in a large city like Columbus can be discouraging, but online dating can make it easier.
Internet dating has become a popular option in coping with busy schedules. E-dating, however, still carries an embarrassing stigma and poses some safety issues.
Leah Kean, a sophomore in pre-social work, met her significant other through online dating. She said online dating is much easier than trying to meet someone at a bar because there's room for more conversation and a person can learn more about the other through e-mail rather than a drunken first impression.
"It's easier to do that (online dating) than doing the typical thing of going to the bar," Kean said. "I work full-time and go to school full-time, so it's just convenient."
The convenience of online dating allows for participants to reply at their own discretion, which could never really happen in a public place, said Art Ramirez, an assistant professor in the School of Communication, in an e-mail. Ramirez researches the role of computers in the development and maintenance of relationships.
"Once one leaves university life or becomes entrenched in their jobs...the amount of available free time is reduced," Ramirez said. "Online sites allow individuals to manage their dating life in ways that suit them."
This includes when to reply, who to communicate with, and the ability to control information available to others, he said.
In order to reap the rewards from the convenience of online dating, the stigma of embarrassment from using a dating Web site must be overcome.
"Using online sites for dating has, over the last five or so years, become less embarrassing than before," Ramirez said.
In previous years, an online dater would be rewarded the stereotype of not being able to find a date in person, he said.
Kristen Peairs, a personal coach for Internet dating, teaches classes through the Creative Activities Program at Ohio State. CAP is an Ohio Union program offering unique classes such as ice cream tasting and glass blowing. Peairs' upcoming class will focus on how to create an accurate personals advertisement to attract the people the Internet dater wants to meet.
Peairs said older generations tend to be more cautious and less verbal about their Internet dating experiences than the younger ones.
"The younger you are the easier it is to say you met someone online," she said.
When attempting to find someone outside of the bar scene and on the Internet, an authentic description for a personal advertisement is crucial to attract the correct matches, Peairs said.
"It comes back to knowing yourself well," she said. "What do you value in your life and friendships?"
When developing a personal advertisement, post an accurate personal picture and create an intriguing headline for the advertisement, Peairs said.
"You want a brief title that makes an impact," Peairs said.
Peairs said it is important to avoid saying what the online dater does not want in a relationship. For example, if an advertisement says he or she does not want drama in a relationship, he or she is probably a magnet for drama.
Along with creating a personals advertisement, a knack for siphoning out the good from the bad profiles is also important.
"Almost everyone...believes she or he has a good sense of humor - but what does that mean? Is that a Monty Python-type sense of humor or is that a South Park-type? Everyone is also athletic and active as well as positive and cheerful," Ramirez said. "Common sense tells us that we should question the prevalence of these claims."
When trying to differentiate between desired respondents and the fakes, "gut-feeling has a lot to do with it," Peairs said.
Kristen Peairs will be teaching a how-to class for writing personals advertisements beginning today.
Meredith Wilkie can be reached at wilkie.13@osu.edu.
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