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Top safety tips for online dating
Match.com has 11 tips to make sure you stay
safe while using their services.
1. Start the relationship out slow.
2. Guard your anonymity.
3. Exercise caution and common sense.
4. Do a little digging.
5. Request a photo.
6. Chat on the phone.
7. Meet when you are ready.
8. Watch for red flags.
9. Meet in a safe place.
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Getting Personal: A tale of love on the Internet
“Matt and I met in a chat room one night. It was so random because
neither of us had ever been to a chat room before. His screen name caught
my eye, but I’m not really sure why. Pretty soon I was ignoring everyone
else in the chat room and he and I typed for hours that first time. We
started off casual, saying hello to each other when we saw the other per
son online. Then he left for his last deployment to Iraq, so things were on
hold for about four months. Our relationship took a different path when
he got back. It was better timing at that point. We found out so much
about each other in the next six months. I didn't even see a picture of him
until about three months into our chatting. I think his picture was just
icing on the cake at that point. Not being able to see each other in person
in a way forced us to really focus on each other’s personalities. I remem
ber how I began to look forward every day to coming home and flipping
on my computer, hoping he would be signed on. We waited almost nine
months before we met in person. We really felt that waiting that long was
the best thing for the both of us, to avoid rushing into things. Matt told
me on the first night that he came to my house that he felt like he had
known me his whole life. It really did feel that way. We had spent so
many hours talking, even learning all the little annoying things about
each other. By the time we met, it just all seemed to come together.
Online dating is not for everyone, because I'll admit there are a lot of
scary people on the other end of the connection. You have to be really
careful at first and just make smart decisions about giving out informa
tion. I just think I was fortunate enough to meet such a great guy who
makes me happy. It's kind of like an Internet fairy-tale romance.”
- Katie, an Elon student
Jessica Kimmel/ Photographer
Contact Amy Parker and Sarah Moser at pendulum@elon.edu or 278-7247