After breaking up with her boyfriend of seven years, Ashley Giles of Fargo, N. Her best friend urged her to "get back out there, stop moping around," and filled out an online dating site profile for her.
She deleted all, without reading them. But the idea of seeking out someone special online stuck, and later she checked out PlentyofFish. The profile of Lucas Snyder, also of Fargo, caught her eye, she said. She sent him a message, which led to more messages and eventually a dinner date. It only took one try. Giles, 24, attributes her relationship success to having a clear picture of the type of guy she was looking for. I had very specific qualities that I wanted," she said, "someone with a good job and goals.
As the mother of two smaller children, she wanted someone "who had kids or wanted kids," she said. Another single parent knows exactly what I'm going through. She didn't want to waste time and effort on someone who is unlikely to understand her priorities, she said.
I may have to say, 'I can't meet you, my child is sick. Knowing yourself and being honest in online communication are important aspects of connecting with potential dates, said Dr. Sarah Edwards, assistant professor of counseling psychology at the University of North Dakota. When preparing a profile, "all of us want to look good," but people should realize their "little white lies" will probably surface later. It isn't surprising that online dating has caught on, especially among young people who have finished their schooling, Edwards said.
The Internet is a good part of our life," she said. After college, online dating fills a need as "a place to meet like-minded people. Some dating sites allow you to reveal your answers to specific questions step by step to another person, she said.
