Four Practical Dating Tips for the Digital Age

In an ideal world, dating and relationships would be easy. Meeting people would be a breeze, and no couple would suffer from communication breakdowns or struggle to keep the fire burning. In reality, though, new relationships are fraught with complications. And one could make an argument that it’s never been more difficult to establish a meaningful connection on the dating scene than it is right now. With all that in mind, today we’ll explore four practical dating tips for individuals living (and loving) in the digital age. They might not be the most romantic suggestions –– but we’re sure they’ll prove valuable all the same:

Don’t Trust Everything You Read Online
The year is 2018. At this point, everyone should know not to trust everything they read online. Yet, there are many who fall for insincere digital dating profiles and are inevitably disappointed when they finally encounter a paramour in the flesh. On a serious note, when you meet someone for the first time, insist on doing so in a public place and arrange a separate ride for yourself. Even if you think you know someone intimately, a digital connection doesn’t always translate to the “real world.”

Trust Your Gut
It’s good advice to enter every date with an open mind (and an open heart). However, if you go on enough dates you’ll inevitably meet someone you simply don’t like very much. Or at all. Don’t beat yourself up over this. Not everyone is compatible, and it’s no crime to be honest about how you feel. Really, the greater transgression is to remain silent and waste both you and your partner’s time. The lesson here is to listen to your gut when it’s trying to tell you something important.

Try New Things
Have you ever felt like you’re stuck in rut, dating the same type of people, going to the same bars/restaurants, and running in the same circles over and over again? If that sounds familiar to you, it may be time to branch out. Purposefully visit a new part of town, or explore a new dating website you previously ignored. Though it may be frightening to try new things at first, sticking to the familiar will yield predictable, disappointing results. 

Ask Tough Questions Early
Transparency and trust are key to developing a strong relationship. The trouble is, people are more adept at hiding behind facades (digital and otherwise) now than ever before. As such, take it upon yourself to pose tough questions to any potential partners early on. Yes, it may prove awkward to ask if your date wants to have kids in the future, or if they’ve visited an STD testing clinic in the past three months –– but if those things are important to you, then you need to address them. Sure, being forward and blunt might turn some people off, but the most meaningful relationships thrive on honesty. Bottom line, don’t be afraid to be yourself because nothing is more attractive than being self-assured!