3 Dates 3 Months challenger Laurie (otherwise known as My Potential One True Love), went boxing in search of a date for her first challenge. Now it’s time to try online dating, Just Singles in fact! Read on to find out how she got on…

“Statistically women are most likely to meet our potential one true love online.  Yep – Through online dating.  I know, I am not best pleased about it either, but what other choice have we got.  We don’t meet people at dances anymore.  Or, however your granny met your granddad.  We meet them online so says stats.    So, as part of the challenge set by the lovely people at Just Singles  (I must stop calling them sexy people, or hot people, or fitties at Just Singles- It really is not professional) I set to with my challenge – go on a date with a man from the online world.

I have to say, in typical negative Laurie way I wasn’t too excited about the prospect.  I had heard some pretty crazy thing about the online world, and in particular the men that take part in it.  (I could tell you the story but think I have been super injunction to silence – juicy juicy juicy story).  But, anyway, I put my negativity to one side/ drowned it in gin and logged onto my profile.

And just like that- a few hours went by. I talked to some nice guys, flirted and was asked out three times.  It was great.  It was easy. And it was rewarding.  I must say- online, I pretty much rocked.  I flirted, I was coy, I was coquettish (not cock fetish) and best, best best of all – I didn’t have to wear matching underwear like on a date.  I didn’t have to even get out of my onesie and fake tan my back.  I could sit down, watch the Kardashians and flirt. I am selling it to you aren’t I.

I guess the main thing that I hadn’t taken onboard about online dating as a whole perhaps, was that people on there would be normal, and looking for love.  Shocking considering the prats that are on Tinder and POF let me tell you.  Sure there were some strange ones, mainly a 68 year old who favourited me and said while I wasn’t his type he wouldn’t mind a blow job from me (sweet ey) there were some nice men, who were easy on the eye, who seemed to actually want to meet a nice woman.  But the biggest shock horror of the evening was that as I got talking to more and more men it became obvious that they wanted to take the fake online life into the real life and meet.

I had for some reason thought that online dating involved talking for a few years.  Men on the site were instead using it as an opener to talk to me, but not their only means of communication.  They actually planned to see me.

www.justsingles.com is a great site.  Easy to navigate, cleanly laid out and with a great personalised feel to it.  Come on don’t be single next Valentine’s Day – sign up!  And if you needed anymore information- here are my tips if you are new to online dating or thinking about it.

– Forget the rule that you don’t approach people in real life.  This kind of crap doesn’t work online.  Like the look of their profile- say hi, because if you don’t, someone else will.  If you get a reply, great.  If you don’t – no bother.  Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.  As your mother used to say- there is plenty more fish in the sea.

– I hate a lol, or a haha, or a lmao, but used sparingly they aren’t that awful online.  It is hard to see sarcasm or humour online- don’t judge a lol, it probably means he is just being funny.  Or trying to anyway.  And we love a trier.

– You get what you put in.  Spend some time on your profile.  Spend some time searching. Spend some time talking.  After only an evening I had lots of potential dates and had enjoyed myself.

– I hear lots of people saying – but what happens if someone sees me that I know.  To these people I say – Who cares.  There are thousands of people online- no one gasps, or judges  – don’t flatter yourself.

– Be truthful.  Be you.  Trust your gut instinct.

– Like it or not, people do judge what you look at.  Always include a picture.  A recent one please.  Get a friend around, doll yourself up and have some fun taking pictures.  Smile.

– Read and personalize your email hello’s.  No one wants to read a copy and paste jobby.  If you haven’t bothered to read my profile, I doubt you are going to listen to me on a date.  It is sloppy.  Your opening gambit doesn’t have to be book – just something more exciting than hey.

– Meet, meet, meet in real life.  Keep safe, wear something you feel comfortable in and read the rest of my dating tips ( more tips)

Remember – fear is temporary, regret is permanent.

Now, who wants to hear about the date…?  ! You want to hear how my online dating date went.

Oh you do do yooooou!”

We do! Do you? Well keep an eye on our blog to find out how it went! To read more from Laurie, check out her blog My Potential One True Love here. And don’t forget to follow her on Twitter for all the latest 3 Dates 3 Months news!

Until next time, 

The Just Singles Team.