The dating world is challenging to navigate; just ask anyone who is currently single. It would be easy to assume that dating would be easier as it was never easier to connect with people. Everything is instant these days, so dating is bound to become easier, right? However, the statistics show that around forty per cent of adults in the US alone are single, so we can conclude that dating is challenging for many. Nevertheless, those who wish to change their love life can test traditional and online dating to see which works better for them.
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Online dating – Less intimidating
Online dating can be viewed as less intimidating as any kind of rejection, or disappointment happens online. Many people fear rejection, so they take it easier if it happens over an app and not in person. If someone ghosts you on an app, you can just continue swiping and find another person to talk to. Also, it’s easier for some people to start chatting right away than approaching someone at a social gathering or in public. Some people are better at communicating online, so it’s safer for them to build a connection online and meet that person in real life.
Traditional dating – You can assess chemistry faster
Yes, chatting online is easier and less intimidating, but you can’t assess chemistry online. You still have to meet in person to see if that chemistry over a dating app will continue to exist in real life when you’re face to face. Whereas traditional dating is relatively straightforward. You can assess chemistry faster, as your conversation will happen face to face. Sometimes. All you need is one interaction to know whether you want to meet that person again for a date.
Online dating – More choices
The best thing about online dating is the number of choices. Even though it can be a double-edged sword, it’s still great to expand your network and extend your efforts to meet someone you’d like to date. Online dating offers you a chance to be matched with someone you’ll never cross paths with. But, you need to have a clear plan and intentions about your dating life to avoid fatigue. Having so many choices can be exhausting, so it’s always good to have a plan and rules for swiping, chatting and moving on to meeting in real life.
Traditional dating – Limited choices
Traditional dating can be limiting in terms that it’s harder to meet new people. This is true in general because as we grow older, it might be hard to meet new people and expand our social circle. But, the fact that online dating offers numerous swipes and choices only leads to fatigue. It doesn’t mean having a thousand choices daily will make dating easier. Especially if you value your time, you won’t have time to swipe indefinitely until you find someone interesting enough to go on a coffee. If you want to cut the chase, especially if you’re gay, traditional dating might be better. You can find a gay matchmaker to help you meet the person that matches your values and spend your time on dates that match your dating intentions.
Online dating – It’s hard to assess someone’s character online
You won’t know whether you’ll like someone’s character until you meet someone in person. People can be dishonest online. Also, it might be hard to detect any red flags if you’re just chatting. You must be put in real-life situations to assess a person’s character. That’s why going on a date with someone you matched online is advisable, especially if you communicate well. That’s the only way to meet someone and get to know their character and personality.
Traditional dating – You can meet someone through mutual acquaintances
Many people who use dating apps to meet new people become detectives at some point – there is no other way to find out about a person but to search their social media. In traditional dating, you can always meet someone through friends and ensure you know much about that person even before your first date or at a social gathering where you’ll get acquainted. So, traditional dating is less dangerous than online dating.
Online dating and traditional dating – The same skills are needed to succeed
The ultimate goal of online and traditional dating is to meet a person you’ll want to go on a second, third, or fourth date. Essentially, you need the same skills to assess a person, so it doesn’t matter how you met each other. You need to know what you want from dating, your values, and if you’re just looking for a love or life story.
You can use both types of dating to expand your dating pool, but you also need to know how to communicate well, assess the person, prioritise character over chemistry and ask the right questions. So, it’s up to you to choose the best way to meet new people, whether through friends, a matchmaker or dating apps.
