After 3 unfruitful months on Christian Café for The Online Dating Experiment, we offered Denise 3 months on eharmony. We’ve seen from Lauren’s experiment that there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to online dating.
Lauren found her 3 months on Match.com to be far more productive than her 3 months on eharmony. So if 3 more months on a different site helped Lauren, why not see if they’ll help Denise?
To recap: Denise is 31 years old and lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Other than her prior 3 months on Christian Café, she’s new to the world of online dating. Here’s what she had to say about her first month on eharmony…
On a scale of 1 to solving a Rubik’s cube, how difficult was the process of signing up and completing your profile?
Denise: I would say maybe a 2 or 3. eharmony’s website is VERY user-friendly. It basically holds your hand as you go through the process. I felt like I was just having a conversation with a friend who was just asking me a series of questions about myself and my preferences in a partner. As we sipped our coffee, the little meter of “completeness” filled up and my friend even encouraged me along the way: “You’re doing great! Halfway there! Just a few more questions!” It was even fun!
What are your first impressions?
Denise: I love the ease of the site and the way that the matches are displayed. Everything is simple and easy to find and easy to use. They are very persistent, emailing me new matches every day, and even some “what if’s,” which basically means, if I let up some of my preference in one area or another, this match would be PERFECT for me. While the site is a little more optimistic than I when it comes to a perfect match, it has been fun to explore the guys who are on there and “my type.”
Have you had any dates yet?
Denise: No dates, but I have used eharmony’s communication system with a few guys. It starts as like a series of questions, and then makes/breaks, and then short answer questions, and then free-writing, email style.
What is the most frustrating thing about online dating so far?
Denise: Perhaps having to check it so often. I just don’t have a ton of time to invest in reading through every single match when I’m emailed with 9 or 10 new ones in a day. Call me shallow, but I just kinda breeze through their photos and if one catches my eye, I will take more time to read his profile. You could really spend a lot of time just digging through all of the profiles!
What’s been the most exciting thing about online dating so far?
Denise: It’s kind of fun when a guy initiates conversation or even looks at my profile! I feel like, “Who ME?!” I guess it’s just exciting to see potential, that there’s some normal, Christian guys out there, and that I’m not the only person on the planet using a dating website to try to meet them.
Okay, so you’re one month in. On a scale of 1 to Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah’s couch, how do you feel about online dating at this point? Explain.
Denise: I’m not completely sold on it, so I’d give myself a 5. It has been fun and interesting, but is also bringing up some insecurities. “Why did that match block me?! Do I sound too ‘spiritual’? What does that even mean?” I’m definitely trying to learn about myself in this whole experience and not just take away values in dating. I’m asking the Lord to guide me and remind me that my worth doesn’t come from how many guys look at my profile! For now, I’m holding on to hope and just wanting to enjoy the ride.
Are you a new eharmony user? Can you relate to Denise’s experience?
Photo credit: Ed Yourdon
