Practical Online Dating Etiquette
By: JB Anthony
In an age of virtual “everythings,” even matchmaking and dating can be done through the internet. And although the trend of online dating can never take the place of the excitement, anticipation, and even perhaps the disadvantage of having to sit through a boring dinner when meeting your date in person, human element of such relationship can still be added – or should I say be “wired” – to make the dating more realistic despite the distance.
How can the human element be added into an online dating relationship? Can distance and the cold screens of computers take the place of a warm, smiling face, you ask. It can’t. But online daters can behave accordingly to certain online socializing etiquette that will make the online interaction more friendly and civilized.
To start off, it is always best to be true to yourself. Open an online account with a name that mirrors your offline personality. If a person likes you for what you are online, he or she will mostly like you for what you are offline. Be true to yourself and to the other person without revealing too much information that will kill the mystery and intrigue factor. Maintaining the thrill helps keep the initial attraction going while allowing emotional attachment to grow naturally.
When making several friends online, do personalize your messages. There is no use in sending the same message to people if you are really interested in finding out what each one are like. It is also helpful to leave an open-ended question in your message so the other person will have something to talk about in his/her next letter.
Be polite always. Of course, being polite does not mean that you have to carry on a conversation with whom you do not like. Being polite does not cancel off the first rule of being true to yourself. Being polite just means letting the other person know you are not interested in a manner that is firm but not offensive. In the same manner, do respect the decision of someone who is not interested in you. Pushing things will only scare the other person away. Considering that what we have on mind when looking for a date online is the next Valentine’s day and NOT the Halloween, scaring the other people with your “stalking mode” blinking online will never help.
These are simple and practical online dating tips that most people have, more often than not, forgotten about. Maintaining these traditional online dating etiquette will surely come appreciated by your friend online whether they be contemporary online daters or old souls looking for good old-fashioned romance.
JB Anthony is the webmaster of www.onlinedating.hottestniches.com. For more articles, links, guides, information on dating, interracial dating, dating advice, online dating advice, online dating and online romance, please visit www.onlinedating.hottestniches.com.