The Modern Love Saga: Online Dating for Teens

It is now an eon since the guy wooed a girl with love poetry or self-composed songs, little surprises and acts which bespoke his love. The girl no longer just plays a passive spectator till a guy declares his love. The old tradition has been replaced with something very different and for the younger generation, dating has taken a completely new twist.

In today’s fast-paced world, potential dates are no longer only friends; strangers too can become one, if given a chance.

It does not involve extensive travel to date someone. These days, all that is required is a computer, even a laptop, an internet connection, and of course, a web cam. This is your setup for stepping into the teenagers’ online dating world.

Every girl has her own set standards. As a sensible girl, you must decide on what kind of guy you want to date. Write down the expected nature of a prospective date. Don’t just think about the good parts; you must also take into consideration the negative traits and make allowances for those. Think of how to tackle them, rather than avoiding them.

Once you have these ideas sorted out, settle down to making your online persona. This profile should represent you, as you truly are, and also what you are looking towards from your online dating experience. You must think about what you intend to put on your profile carefully. Some of the points you must consider are:

• Be honest. If you expect honesty from the opposing party, you have to come across as a truthful person yourself. To protect your privacy, you may use a screen name though, which suits your actual persona.
  Add details like your age, relationship status, level of education, hobbies and other information you think is relevant. Be as honest as you can. However, don’t enter heavy narratives as a personal description, and make sure it exudes a positive vibe.
• Be specific about your goals. You must be sure about what you want out of your online dating experience. Whether it is activity partners that you are looking for, or mere companionship, you must clearly mention that on you profile.
• Mention your expectations. The best thing is to be clear about what your expectations from possible dates are. Your expectations may define the behavior of an interested person. Do not be casual; it is in your best interest.
• Put up a picture. By posting your picture on the profile, you give the other person an idea of the person you are. Leaving blank photo spaces results in doubts and a reluctance to initiate contact. Online dates may find you to have a casual attitude and may not be impressed enough to approach you.

Once you start receiving invitations, you must respond with a courtesy notice. These notices are usually sent as emails. Make your first email a cordial one. Appreciate the other person’s interest in your profile. Elaborate on some details from your profile if you so wish, but do not make it long and winding. Keep it short, as that leaves the other person curious for more during this initial stage.

Early dates were conducted in person. As a teen, you may be keen on meeting your online date and you may want to take the relationship to a personal phase. For this, you can fix up a meeting, and finally meet the person typing out such sweet nothings to you from behind a distant monitor. However, before you set out on such a meeting, you must take into considerations some important measure for your safety.

• Take a friend with you. A friend is your security in any unpleasant situations that may come up. If your date is cordial to your friend as well, it is a sign of the person’s sincerity and chivalry.
• Inform your family. It is advisable to make sure that your family, guardians, or at least your close, responsible friends know where you are going and with whom.
• Provide contact details. When you inform close ones, you must tell them where you are going. Also, leave behind a list of numbers where you may be reached, and if you carry a cell phone, then the number for that phone as well.

There are some things that do not make it to the next generation, but some measures and ideas must be carried over to the next age too.