We are fortunate to live in a time where we don’t have to go out and submit ourselves to the trial and error form of dating, where we meet strangers, exchange information, go on a few dates, and try to figure out if we like each other. No longer do we need our friend to hook us up with the woman with six cats from her office, or the guy who wears a wig and talks about his high school football days. Meeting your dream guy or girl online is now simple and effective, as you can get placed as a match with people who are most compatible to you in you area.

Because of a massive following and membership count, popular online dating websites practically guarantee that you’ll meet someone. This works out much better than dating in the real world. In the real world, people are looking for different things, or are indirect about what they are seeking because it would not be customary to come off so forward, especially for women. However, online dating sites do not carry that pretense. Everyone is there for a similar thing, and it’s okay to be direct now that the person is not directly in front of you.

For starters, sign up and create your profile. The membership profiles tend to be better than the free ones, because people who are paying for their membership feel more obliged to get their money’s worth and actually meet someone, rather than the lackluster folks who use the free sites that carry no threat of wasted money. Use your most up-to-date photo (make sure it’s a good one, but honest), and fill out all of your information truthfully so that you can get a legitimate match instead of a fake one.

Perhaps you’ll get a great match, perhaps you won’t. Don’t be discouraged after using it for only a week. There are plenty of people to go around. Also, don’t let stories on the news of sexual predators and rapists scare you into thinking online dating sites are just breeding grounds for them. In fact, you’re probably in as much danger meeting someone in real life as you are online, which is to say “not much at all”. So relax, fill out your profile, and hold your head high. You might meet someone great tonight.