13 Stories For Anyone Who Dates Online

Let's face it — the online dating world can be daunting. But don't worry, you're not alone in this. We compiled 13 spot-on stories surrounding online dating, ranging from blog posts on personal experiences to expert advice on the do's and don'ts of the game. Thank us later. 

1. 9 Things I Learned During A Year Of First Dates

It’s OK to walk away from something and not apologize for it. 

It’s true that a big criticism of online daters — men and women alike — is that they are too shallow and focused on physical appearances. And while it’s certainly easy to write people off in an app, it’s also easy to waste a lot of time dating people you’re not that into. I went out with plenty of men who seemed nervous or shy online thinking that maybe they were really great guys that I’d click with in person. But when we met, I was usually bored to tears. Feeling obliged to give them a shot anyway didn’t do either of us any favors.

2. 7 Mistakes You’re Probably Making On Your Online Dating Profile

You’re boring people to tears in your “about me” section. 

Your front-facing, model status profile pic may be what draws people in, but a compelling “about me” section that shows off your personality is what will land you a date. Describing yourself as a “laid-back guy who loves the beach and getting drinks” is the meh-est of meh descriptions. 

“That pretty much describes 99 percent of singles,” said Platts. “If I tell you I’m going to buy you any smartphone you want, you wouldn’t just say ‘Thanks, just get me one that makes calls and can surf the web.’ No, you’d tell me get the a 64GB iPhone 6 Plus in white. You want someone to want you because of you, not simply because you’re a warm-bodied male or female.”  

3. The Unwritten Rules Of Tinder

 4. 24 Struggles Of Online Dating That Are All Too Real

"Anyone can take one great profile picture — especially if said picture is 5+ years old."

5. What Happened When This Woman Included ‘Feminist’ On Her Tinder Profile

6. The 5 Best Ways To Break The Ice On A Dating App

7. 8 Online Dating Tips For Guys Who Actually Want To Score A Date

Converse as you would in real life — in complete words, in good taste.

When exchanging messages, it’s important to avoid text speak and physical compliments, says Ryan Jakovljevic, an award-winning relationship expert and couples therapist . Poor grammar and incorrect spelling are also a huge turn-off and make an awful first impression.

So while you may think phrases like “ur hot” and “omg so sexy” flatter the receiver, Jakovljevic says women read these types of messages all the time. If you want to stand out, get more creative and address their interests over their looks.

8. 13 Women On Why They Quit Online Dating To Find Love IRL

"Over time, I began to feel like I was losing my true self in the quest to be the girl with the perfect profile.”

 “I was constantly overthinking what I had typed in my profile or what I was sending in a message to a guy. When I would see something in a guy’s profile that he liked in a woman, I would think ‘Hey! That’s me! Maybe? Is it? Yeah!’ I would try to edit my profile to be what I thought guys wanted. I would type, delete, type again, delete, etc., like I didn’t know who I was in real life. Over time, I began to feel like I was losing my true self in the quest to be the girl with the perfect profile, and I decided it wasn’t worth the stress and sacrifice of losing and/or hiding who I am.”

9. What Online Dating Profiles Would Look Like If People Were Completely Honest  

No one tells the whole truth about themselves on online dating sites. Why would a potential match need to know about your untameable back hair situation or that you secretly loathe pizza? If everyone went and divulged things like that, we’d all be single.

The folks over on Reddit answered this question: “What would your brutally honest dating profile say?” The responses were a little too truthful. Here are 12 of the funniest.

10. 5 Dating Apps That Aren’t Tinder And Are Still Worth Trying

Looking for someone to Netflix & Chill with? We hear ya. Thanks to Tinder and the slew of mobile dating apps that sprung up since, you can meet new people without ever putting on pants. But which apps should you pursue and which should you delete from your phone? Here's a list of five alternative apps that are worth trying. 

11. 30 Days of Online Dating: What I Learned

It’s exhausting. I’m probably stating the obvious here, but a date a day is a lot. Even if you’re mildly employed. Mostly because I apparently get schmammered on all of my dates. Remember that part earlier where I said I’m not 24 anymore? Social drinking now requires a very reclusive recovery -- a recovery that lasts longer than 24 hours/isn’t solved by a Bloody Mary brunch. Jumping right into dating a self-proclaimed functional alcoholic didn’t really help the whole cringing liver/loss-of-brain-function situation either.

12. 7 Drawbacks Of Online Dating, According To Science

Unlimited options means you may have a hard time finding someone who's willing to commit.

Three words: paradox of choice . Having an unlimited pool of potential dates can not only make people feel less satisfied with their ultimate decision, but it can also lead them to freeze up and not make a choice at all. In fact, that aforementioned 2012 review found that online daters were less willing to settle down and commit to a single partner while they had boundless options literally at their fingertips, a sentiment that 32 percent of Internet users echoed in a 2013 Pew Research Center poll.