Okay, so following up on our last chat about escaping to fictional book boyfriends because the modern dating pool feels like a swamp... what if we told you the real-world apps don't have to be a horror story?
We recently stumbled across an article about Cheryl Cobb, a former entertainment executive who spent 25 years wrangling big music industry personalities before getting divorced and plunging headfirst into the wild west of online dating. And her take on the whole digital dating scene is exactly the reality check we all need.
Spoiler alert: Cobb actually met her husband online. But not before dodging a gauntlet of fake profiles, love-bombers, scammers, and guys whose actions absolutely did not match their words. She took all those wild experiences and turned them into a survival guide called 10 Dirty Lil' Secrets Nobody Wants to Tell You About Internet Dating.
We will definitely have to check out the book, especially because she breaks down the "Four Seasons of Love" in digital dating—like how everyone sends their perfect "Representative" on the first few dates, but you have to keep your eyes peeled for "The Reveal" when their true colors start showing.
But here is what we absolutely love about Cobb's message: Online dating isn't actually scary, as long as you do it in a safe and smart way.
She isn't telling us to delete OBC or swear off romance forever. She’s just reminding us to stop checking our common sense at the door just because a guy has a really cute golden retriever in his profile pic.
You don't have to be afraid of the apps if you walk into them fully informed. Treat your personal boundaries like a fortress. Don't let anyone rush you, definitely don't send money to some guy who is "trapped overseas," and start paying way more attention to what a match does rather than what they say.
Basically, dating is only terrifying when we give strangers unearned access to our lives. Once you start dating smarter—keeping your standards high, your location shared with your group chat, and your red-flag radar fully powered on—the power comes right back to you.
So, swipe away, ladies! Just keep your wits about you, protect your peace, and never settle for a real-life guy who puts in less effort than your favorite fictional book boyfriend.