Lifestyle /
Find Your Own Prince Charming On-Line
We help you navigate the world of e-dating and tips on creating an eye-catching profile
While you are relishing in the Royal Wedding hangover, now is the time to give your search for your very own Prince Charming, a much needed digital push.
And we are happy to give you proper tips on building your own profile in the e-dating world.
A study by Match.com, a leader in the industry, revealed that in 2009 and 2010, one in five singles had dated someone they met online
"[It's] simply a new and effective way to do an old and important thing, which is meet great new people with whom you really have a chance of hitting it off," says Whitney Casey, Match.com Relationship Insider.
Why Online?
Many people are turning to e-dating because their lifestyles don't allow for meeting the traditional way. "I tried the bar scene with girlfriends and I was meeting the wrong kind of men," says Andrea McKay, a divorced mother who worked in a female-dominated environment. Set-ups through friends weren't working either. McKay finally met someone online and they've been happily married for almost five years.
Anisha Ladha, 25, also met her partner online and she credits it for providing relief for shy personalities, like herself. "If you're shy and timid, it gives you the opportunity to meet people without having to be completely forward and 'putting yourself out there'." Ladha has been in a relationship for four months and counting.
Desi Connections
BindiDates, a branch of MyBindi, is a popular website geared towards Canadian South Asians. "The site was created in 2000 in response to a growing desire of young, urban South Asians who wanted to connect with other South Asians without having to go through the process of family introductions," explains Syerah Virani, creator of BindiDates. BindiDates also hosts events like mixers and speed dating so members can connect offline.
Other sites designed for South Asians include Desi-Planet.com, Mastidating.com, and Shaadi.com (for marriage-minded individuals), and most offer fairly advanced search options. While free sites are convenient, paying members benefit from more personalized search results, an advantage for those seriously looking. While you may not meet someone right away, with enough patience you may just meet the one.
Tips For The Perfect Profile
An incomplete profile suggests little commitment to online dating and understandably generates a poor response," says Virani. So keep these tips in mind when building your profile:
- Pick a username that describes your personality or interests. This is the first thing people see so think about what kind of initial impression you want to make.
- Be clear about your intentions. Whether you're joining to make friends or become seriously involved, others will appreciate your honesty.
- Keep pictures recent, realistic and natural looking, so avoid dolled-up and photoshopped pictures.
- Don't post false information about yourself. It's tempting to beef up your skills, but you want someone to get to know the real you.
- Personalize your profile. Avoid the obvious; everyone wants somebody caring and sensitive. Instead, tell people what makes you, you! Give people a sneak-peek of your personality by describing yourself. "Ask a close friend to review your profile," suggests Virani.
- Omit personal information like addresses and phone numbers. Start with email until you feel comfortable enough to share more private information.
- If you do decide to meet in person, arrange a well-lit meeting place that you're familiar with and ensure someone knows all the details of your date. Above all, trust your gut instinct; if something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.
So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and take the e-dating plunge! You never know, Prince Charming may be just a fabulous profile away!
Sources: blog.match.com/whitneychasey, blinddates.com, shaadi.com
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Soriyya Bawa
Author
Soriyya Bawa has been featured in national publications including ANOKHI Magazine Tribute Magazine and Canadian Family Magazine. Soriyya currently works as a freelance writer and editor based in Toronto, Ontario and also specializes in customized web content and socia...
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