The Online Dating Profile Oath

Many millennials agree it seems to be increasingly challenging to find a suitable partner today. With the modern dating tools at our fingertips, why not try moving the search online? 

So you’re going to give online dating a shot. Great! You’ll be among friends. Millennials have embraced e-dating in a massive way. It’s not just that we’ve grown up digital, it’s also because even if you have extremely specific requirements in a partner, odds are there’s an online dating service that meets your, um, needs.

Joking aside, if you’re serious about meeting new people online, you need a profile that shows your good side. Something that lets people know what you’re about without giving too much away. You want others to be interested and maybe intrigued enough to send you a message. With that in mind, you’re ready to take the online dating profile creation oath.

Repeat these words aloud:

“I, [your name], do swear to post at least two accurate and recent photos of myself.”

This is the most critical aspect of creating an online dating profile and it should also be the most fun. For better or worse we’re the selfie generation! So take some and post them. Or if you have some recent pictures of yourself, even better, post those.

Now, the rules. Guys: shirts on! Girls: read this.

Real life tangent: No one should ever follow my lead, but on more than one date I’ve been told, “Hey, you actually look like your profile picture.” It always made me wonder, “what in the world are people posting?” So, in short, a good profile picture will lead to fewer surprises, which in turn makes for much better dates.

“I will fill out everything I can.”

I’m not advocating one dating website over another but okcupid definitely says it best, “Write a self-summary. Why? More robust profiles get better quality messages.”

It’s a good point. You should write a summary about yourself that accurately (notice a trend here?) highlights your best points, but make sure you leave the details for later. Pretend you’re a news editor and know when to cut the fluff.

“I will not overthink this.”

Most profiles will ask you a series of very straightforward questions. Answer as such. You’re going to have plenty of time to get into the details if things start to heat up with a potential match.

Besides, if things aren’t going the way you want them to, you can always change how your profile reads.

“I will try not to overdo it.”

Maybe you’re driven, successful, or even lonely and you want potential matches to know it. That’s OK, you should absolutely be yourself and let it shine through. But make sure you’re showing off your other qualities too. You’re limiting yourself by simply focusing on one aspect of your life. You’re a millennial! This is a great opportunity to show your depth. The more interests and qualities you share, the more likely you are to find someone who likes the same things as you.

“I will have fun.”

You might feel like your love life is a life or death situation but try to remember, this is online dating. I’m not advocating you don’t take it seriously, but my tone should at least suggest you should have fun. Remember, if things don’t go your way on the first date, there will be more.

Do you have any online dating tips to add? Let us know in the comments below.

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