Safety Isn't Silly
- Monday, July 18 2011 @ 07:51 am
- Contributed by: Jet
- Views: 1,388
Chances are, when you first stepped into the world of online dating, the issue at the forefront of your mind was safety. There’s something that makes us inherently uneasy about meeting someone that we’ve never really seen in person. However, while it’s not uncommon to have our guard up in online dating, sometimes we forget that we should keep safety rules in mind at all times - including when you meet people the “old-fashioned” way.
The same safety rules can apply in almost any situation. First, don’t give out your home information to someone you don’t know well if you can help it (if you’re meeting up with the new next-door neighbor, well, being coy about your address would be just silly). You might want to be similarly guarded about your place of work - even if your potential match isn’t dangerous, the potential for headaches still exists when you’re mixing business with pleasure.
When you’re meeting for the first time, choose a public place that isn’t secluded - but isn’t so busy that no one would notice if something went awry. Many people like to station a friend in whatever coffee shop or restaurant they’re headed to; it can also be helpful to make friends with a waiter or bartender. Also, it’s helpful if you leave contact information and your intended destination with a friend before you even leave for your date.
Everyone seems to belong to a social network nowadays, but be aware of just how much information is available if you decide to add your potential match as a friend. Can they track your day-to-day movements? Have you already posted your opinion of them?
Remember: it’s not paranoid to be prudent. Meeting someone in college, at the grocery store, or on a blind date set up by your mother is no more or less safe than meeting someone online - so just make safe practices a habit all the time. And heck, with the advent of digital photography and the internet, you have alternatives to the old-fashioned coffee date - if you’re really concerned, try a video chat before you meet in-person.
However, remember that even with the precautions you should take, chances are you’re not about to date a werewolf. Your potential match is probably a perfectly nice, normal person - who may be as leery about meeting you as you are of them! When you have safety precautions in place, you can relax and focus on what’s important - whether you have a connection with a new and interesting person.
The same safety rules can apply in almost any situation. First, don’t give out your home information to someone you don’t know well if you can help it (if you’re meeting up with the new next-door neighbor, well, being coy about your address would be just silly). You might want to be similarly guarded about your place of work - even if your potential match isn’t dangerous, the potential for headaches still exists when you’re mixing business with pleasure.
When you’re meeting for the first time, choose a public place that isn’t secluded - but isn’t so busy that no one would notice if something went awry. Many people like to station a friend in whatever coffee shop or restaurant they’re headed to; it can also be helpful to make friends with a waiter or bartender. Also, it’s helpful if you leave contact information and your intended destination with a friend before you even leave for your date.
Everyone seems to belong to a social network nowadays, but be aware of just how much information is available if you decide to add your potential match as a friend. Can they track your day-to-day movements? Have you already posted your opinion of them?
Remember: it’s not paranoid to be prudent. Meeting someone in college, at the grocery store, or on a blind date set up by your mother is no more or less safe than meeting someone online - so just make safe practices a habit all the time. And heck, with the advent of digital photography and the internet, you have alternatives to the old-fashioned coffee date - if you’re really concerned, try a video chat before you meet in-person.
However, remember that even with the precautions you should take, chances are you’re not about to date a werewolf. Your potential match is probably a perfectly nice, normal person - who may be as leery about meeting you as you are of them! When you have safety precautions in place, you can relax and focus on what’s important - whether you have a connection with a new and interesting person.
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