Cupid’s coming in less than a week, and if you’re one of those hoping to get hit by one of his arrows, fate may be just a mouse-click away.
Although many new Internet dating services are offering to help people connect with one another digitally, many Boston University students don’t see the dating services as something they would use.
Dating services such as 2ofakind.com and friendfinder.com offer a variety of ways for strangers to meet one another. A typical membership to any one of these sites includes creating a profile, complete with a photograph and a listing of interests. One is then capable of viewing any number of other profiles, in order to find one suited to their taste.
“Our users not only select what they like, they select how much they like it and how important it is in relation to everything else,” said 2ofaKind Online President Sal Prano.
BU students expressed skepticism about using an Internet dating service, but some said it would benefit those who were less extroverted.
“I think there is a certain amount of pressure from family and peer groups to meet and date people, so I think this is an outlet for those who lack social skills,” said Brian McGuinness, a College of Arts and Sciences junior.
Some students said online dating services are unnecessary.
“I think that online dating services are too impersonal because they take some of the mystique out of creating a good relationship,” said Neil Patel, a College of Engineering freshman. “They make a hard process easy and take away from its value.”
“[An online dating service] takes the fun out of the game of dating,” said Michael Birnbaum, a College of Communication sophomore.
Patel said he would only use one if he was having great difficulty meeting others similar to himself.
“Maybe if my lifestyle was not convenient for going out and meeting people, or it had some kind of characteristic that I could never find in others, then I might consider using one,” he said.
Some students were wary about the kind of people who would hide behind a computer instead of meeting people the old-fashioned way.
“I wouldn’t use one because you could end up meeting the person in real life, and they might be a serial killer or 500 pounds,” said Carmen Nesenson, a School of Management junior.
“The people that I know who go on those websites do it for comical and entertainment purposes,” said COM freshman Shannon Mita.
Overall, Boston University students found the traditional form of dating more appealing than the use of an online dating service.
“I could never picture myself going through [a dating service] — so I could never see myself meeting someone that I could have a meaningful relationship with,” McGuinness said.
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