Build An Online Dating Profile And We'll Tell You If You'll Ever Get A Date
- by Kaline Forrester
- – on
- in Lifestyle
Nowadays, meeting your future spouse through online dating websites is becoming more and more common. The stigma surrounding such "how we met" stories has lessened considerably, as well, especially when you take into account that people are meeting people every day online- and not just for romantic purposes. The website meetup.com, for instance, is a place where like-minded people who share hobbies can meet one another and plan to go out for dinner, game nights, sports, etc.
Online dating websites also cater to the individual; besides the general sites for everyone like match.com or okcupid.com, there are dating sites for specific religions, specific ages, gay/bisexual people, and the list goes on. You can find any type of dating sites. OK Cupid is one of the most popular ones, and those who sign up through them can expect to provide extensive information about themselves in order to find their best match possible.
Love-seekers will provide the most general of information, such as their age, physical details, and what they are looking for in a partner. They will also provide more detailed information like about their hobbies, jobs, pets, children, hopes for the future, and preferences for things in all areas- movies, books, television shows, etc.
If you are having trouble finding a date, OK Cupid might be for you. And if you think it is, tell us about yourself for this quiz to see if there is any chance of you landing a date any time soon. Then move on to the actual dating site and get going with it!
Are you a man or a woman?
Let's start with the basics to get a feel for who you are and what you are looking for. And we cannot get more basic than whether you are a man or a woman. After all, it is the first question you are asked on any online dating profile, as it should be. So regardless of which gender you are looking to date, which gender are you?
How do you identify?
The second thing most online dating websites will want to know is how you identify, whether that be gay, straight, bisexual, or anything else. No one- a website included- can be expected to find you a date (much less lasting love) if you do not tell them exactly what it is you are looking for. So when it comes to love and dating, how do you identify?
How old are you?
People of any age are welcome to search out the world wide web in the hopes of finding lasting love. Luckily, there will always be someone your own age out there who is also looking. However, you do not have to stick to your own age group when trying to find a date. That is the beautiful thing about online dating- anything goes!
How old should your date be?
Just because you are, say, 25, doesn't necessarily mean you want your date to be. On OK Cupid, the site allows you to choose a range of ages for the people you are interested in meeting. It is highly unlikely that anyone is looking for a person that is ONLY 32, or ONLY 47, for example. So what is your ideal age range?
Describe yourself for your intro.
OK Cupid, like most dating sites, recommends that you introduce yourself for your profile. This sounds simple enough, but when it comes down to it, most people find themselves wondering where to begin. How does one accurately describe themselves for their future partner in a blurb? Do your best to pick from the following "blurbs".
What are you looking for?
The cool thing is that dating websites don't necessarily just have to be for dating, although that is what they are typically used for. If you need to ease into the dating scene for whatever reason, or if you want to meet people as friends first, OK Cupid or any of the other matchmaking sites make that completely possible. Just be sure to be up front about what you are looking for in your profile.
Tell us about your profile photo.
Most dating sites require that your face be clearly visible in your profile picture to ensure that you are who you say you are, and so that no one is misled when it comes to what they are expecting physically. Most people would probably not agree to meet someone who refused to show their face anyway, but you never know. The only thing that sucks is if someone you know happens to see you.
What are you doing with your life?
Your goals and how you live your life are undoubtedly important things for a prospective love interest to know, but they are more important to some people than others. What are your plans for the future, what are you doing with your life now, and how do you live your life? Give us an overall impression of you.
Who is your ideal match?
One of the questions OK Cupid (and probably all of the dating sites) asks is what kind of a person would make your ideal match. They ask details regarding your likes, dislikes, and what is important to you in a partner. This helps them come up with people you would potentially get along really well with. And who knows? They might just find The One!
How important is religion to you?
It may not be the first thing you think to discuss on a first date, but at some point, religion will need to be talked about between a new couple. This is because you cannot possibly settle down with someone if you do not agree on religion. That is not to say that you cannot end up with someone of a different religion, but you must agree to disagree, unless one of you converts. Basically, religion affects many aspects of a couple's lives.
What kinds of movies are your favorite?
The genre of movie a person prefers may or may not tell us a lot about them. However, it is something that is an option to fill in on your OK Cupid profile. Basically, the more detail about yourself that you can give the site, the closer of a match you may find. Having the same or different tastes in movies will probably not make a break a couple, but it is still nice to know, to paint a clearer picture of who you are.
Do you have children?
Kids are not necessarily a deal breaker when it comes to meeting new people to date, and in fact, for some people they are considered a bonus! Others may be scared off because sometimes kids are seen as baggage (and if not them, then your baby mama or baby daddy for sure). But no matter what, it is essential that you are up front from the get-go if you have any little ones.
What are your political beliefs?
This is a great thing to put on your dating profile, because if you are like most people, you probably do not want to be with someone who is completely opposite than you when it comes to politics. Like religion, discussing politics is often a no-no for a reason. People get pretty upset over it, so it is best to make your beliefs known on your profile so that you don't end up on a date with someone who will offend you (or vice-versa).
Do you smoke?
Smoking is a total deal breaker for a lot of people. If you are not a smoker, you likely will not want to kiss, sleep with, or generally be around someone who is a chain smoker, since their clothes and things typically smell like smoke. A cigarette here and there is different. Likewise, a smoker may not want to date a non-smoker simply to avoid having to be careful when and where they smoke.
You could never live without...
Everyone is different, so no one will judge you (and no one will even know) if you choose money over people you love as something you could never live without. In fact, it could even be viewed as respectable, since you are being honest about it. The truth is that there are plenty of things we could all live without, but of the following, which would be the worst to have to do without?
Is it important that you date someone of the same race/ethnicity?
For some people race/ethnicity is important, and for others it is not. Sometimes it just comes down to who you are or are not attracted to. So whether you are white, brown, yellow, black, or purple, your personal preferences can be stated on your online dating profile. And making your preferences clear will help you find your perfect match!
Do you have pets?
This question is important because somewhere down the line if you end up moving in with whomever you end up dating, pets may also be living with you. If you are deathly afraid of dogs, for example, you may not want to enter into a relationship with someone who has dogs. Or maybe if you are not even afraid of reptiles, you still may not want to live with them. People checking out your profile want to know these things, too.
What is your education level?
The answer to this question is of varying importance, depending on who you ask. Most dating prospects probably don't care as much about your level of education as they do about what that education has gotten you, meaning your career. If you have managed to become financially stable without any sort of education, good for you! However, it never hurts to have gone to school.
What is your relationship with alcohol?
Alcohol may or may not play a role in your romantic relationships. But it is good to establish what role it plays in your life before you get into a relationship with someone else. Are you sober due to having had a dependence problem, or because you just choose to be? Do you drink all the time? Do you like to go to happy hour with your friends sometimes?
What are you good at?
Everyone is good at something, and often your natural talents are in line with your hobbies. It is nice when what you like to do is also what you are good at. Even better is when you find someone who also likes to do what you like to do, and who is also good at it. But there is also something to be said for opposites attracting. In any case, what is it that you are good at?
Are you carefree or intense?
When setting up a profile on OK Cupid, you will be asked this question: between the two, are you more carefree or intense? This is a generalization of course, because no one is really all one or the other. But people are typically MORE one than the other. So when it comes to intensity and being carefree, which one better describes you?
When do you want to get married?
Regardless of when you actually want to get married, it is probably best not to be too gung-ho about settling down when you first get to know someone. Women are more guilty of this then men, and men are known to scare off more easily. But nevertheless, the question must be answered for OK Cupid. So ideally, when would you like to take the plunge?
Would you rather be normal or weird?
This is yet another actual question posed by the dating website OK Cupid when prompting you to set up your profile. It is a simple question, but speaks volumes as to who you are. And depending, you might be a weird person who wants to meet a weird person, a weird person who wants a normal person, a normal person who wants a weird person, or a normal person who wants a normal person. The possibilities are endless!
Are you currently employed?
Your employment status is pretty important. When you are trying to meet a dating partner, or your future spouse, they are going to want to know if you can stand on your own two feet. Furthermore, a person's employment status can tell others a lot about that person, such as their work ethic, their income, their goals, etc.
Choose the better romantic activity.
Our world is full of various activities that could be considered romantic, but it all depends on personal preference. What you might think of as romantic, another person may not. How people perceive romance can be vastly different, so it is important to give OK Cupid some idea of how you as an individual perceive romance.
