Relationships: Online Dating vs. Long Distance Dating

Online Dating v/s Long Distance Relationships by Clarence Jacobs There is no doubt single people are willing to try anything to find their romantic partner. It depends on how far they are willing to go. People date because it helps them to get to know each other. If they are interested in each other they can build a relationship. Meanwhile, there are different methods used when meeting someone. Online dating and establishing a long distance relationship are just a couple of methods to building a relationship. “In the U.S. alone, tens of millions of people are trying to find dates or spouses online every day.” (Epstein, 2007). Many people prefer online dating because they can quickly search through millions of available candidates. Online dating have many advantages. With online dating you are able to look at different peoples’ profile. This option allows you automatically eliminate the people you don’t find interest in. Also, online dating have low tolerance for foul language. There is a membership expense for joining an online dating site on certain web sites. “Other dating sites will not charge you a membership fee but will charge you posting personal ads.” ( Hardy para 2). Compared to online dating, long distance relationships have some similarities. There is no physical or face to face contact on a daily basis. Regardless of the lack of physical companionship, these relationships establish an emotional connection. Online dating and long distance relationships are beneficial if you enjoy having more time for yourself. You may have to travel a lengthy distance to see each other. This can also be costly depending on if your means of travel will be a train, bus, or airplane. In contrast, long distance relationships can cost a lot more than an online relationship. “The latest issue of Women’s Health magazine has an article about long-distance relationships featuring this interesting statistic: An average total amount of $278 is spent a month by

References: Ayala,C., Behrens, L., Nguyen, G., Queen, M. (2009). Online dating statistics-docstoc -documents. Retrieved from www.docstoc.com Epstein, R. (2007). The truth about online dating. Retrieved from www.scientific american.com Hardy, M. (2006) Understanding no membership free personals/love to know Retrieved from www.dating.lovetoknow.com Women’s Health (2006). Cost of a long-distance relationship. Retrieved from www.myopenwallet.net