For 3 months earlier this year, Denise tried Christian Café in the first round of our Online Dating Experiment. Things didn’t go so well, and Denise didn’t find any matches worth dating.
So, we offered for her to try another 3 months on a different online dating service. She accepted and chose eharmony. Now, after finishing 3 months on eharmony, here’s her take on how things went for her:
Let’s get down to numbers: In your 3 months of online dating, how many guys have you actually communicated with: How many have you talked on the phone and/or texted with? How many have you gone on dates with? How many had real potential, even if it didn’t work out?
Denise: I’ve communicated with at least 10 guys at various “levels” of communication within eharmony. That doesn’t include the guys that I “sent a smile to” who didn’t respond. I’m not sure how many the total would be – maybe 15? I have not given out my number to any of them, nor did any of them take me on dates. However, for the past few weeks, I’ve been emailing back and forth with one of my matches! It was really only him that I thought had real potential. The others I just didn’t feel were a great match.
Are there any reasons you think your online dating experience is exceptional or atypical?
Denise: I definitely wouldn’t categorize my online dating experience as exceptional. I would call it atypical, however, because I didn’t even get taken out on ONE date! I think that South Florida is just a rough place to date, in general. I’ve lived here for two and a half years, and I’ve only been on 2 dates, with the same guy, and it just wasn’t going to happen. Unless you’re cool with meeting random people at clubs and bars downtown, which I’m not, the dating pool is small.
Do you think you wasted your money by subscribing to an online dating service?
Denise: Considering I didn’t make the payments for the dating service, no I didn’t waste my money. Thanks, SingleRoots, for investing in me! I tried to be mindful and considerate of that investment, and don’t think that their money was wasted. I can say that I’ve tried online dating, and who knows where this potential suitor may lead!
Are you planning to continue online dating? If so, would you use the same site or try a different one?
Denise: I don’t think I’m going to continue. At least, I’d like a little break. I also just got a new job, so I’ve been able to meet many new people there! I like the face-to-face interaction more than the digital interaction. Also, I think I would try a different site because I don’t like that you can’t make your own searches. I want to be able to search through the site and see who’s out there instead of being dependent on the site to “match” me with who they deem fit.
You’ve been on this online dating venture for 3 months now. What one word would you use to sum it up?
Denise: Hmm… I’m stumped on this question! I think I would describe my venture as “average.” It hasn’t been terrible, but it also hasn’t been wonderful. On that spectrum, it’s landed in the middle.
Would you recommend other people try online dating?
Denise: I would! I don’t think that it hurts at all to put yourself out there and to try. I’ve heard great stories, and not-so-great stories, but I also think that God is really unique and writes each of our stories differently. You can’t compare your story to someone else’s, and it’s kind of fun to just see what happens!
