College Being

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Dating is a daunting task. Regardless of one’s age, getting out there into the dating scene and trying to make meaningful connections is difficult. The main places where people go, bars and clubs, are generally for those who are looking for a casual night out, no strings attached. Finding people who are looking for a commitment may seem near impossible. Opportunities at work may be limited with only a small selection of possible dates who may not spark an interest. Other social gatherings are far and few between. Online dating sites are a breakthrough, providing people with a way to narrow down what is available and find those with common interests. It may be scary but with common sense and caution, it’s possible to find potential soulmates with a little nudge from the internet.

Internet dating sites allow people to post their photos and profiles, sharing their location, age, description, hobbies, and goals in life. Individuals can be specific about what they are looking for–someone to spend time with from time to time or someone to spend a lifetime with in a meaningful relationship. There are many popular sites but some rank at the top for the absolute best opportunities.

Match.com boasts of having 20,000 singles joining each day. What of the greatest positive aspects is the sites formula for matching personalities. They even offer their members a guarantee that they will meet someone special to them within six months of signing up. Their large numbers of members alone are an advantage, meaning there is a better chance of finding a match.

Perfectmatch.com is another site that matches members based on personality, hopefully finding that person who will click. They have a broad assortment of candidates from all walks of life and use an excellent email notification system to inform people about a possible match.

Chemistry.com is betting on exactly what it’s named for–chemistry. People need to have more than common interests or an attractive exterior. There needs to be that chemical attraction and electricity that makes a person’s heart sing. Through the use of feedback, personality information, and responses about chemistry, matches are found. In addition, there is helpful advice for members when navigating the rough waters of a new relationship.

E-harmony.com is probably the best known of any of the sites with a great deal of time and energy devoted to publicity on television and elsewhere. This is a site to watch when a free weekend is offered. That free service may be enough to raise curiosity and make someone branch out to a new prospect in dating. Millions are involved in this site and it is for those who are serious about finding the other half of their heart.

Spark.com is another site that is counting on finding a match through personality. While this may have a smaller user base, there are still many opportunities to find that special someone who makes sparks fly. Dating may be hard but online dating sites help smooth the way.

Drew Lewis writes for 100bestdatingsites.com and is open to writing on a freelance basis about anything related to his industry.

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One of our readers, a UCSB graduate student, Ning Jiang, alongside the nonprofit Safe Water International are currently raising funds to help develop a super-low cost filter to be used in Malawi, Africa, and possibly many other areas of the world. We thought the project was awesome and it deserved a plug.

Check out the video:

You can help by donating as little as one dollar! Visit the project page to donate or view more info: http://rkthb.co/7511

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Image by Lindsey Kone

You have all the control in the world during the day. But as soon as the sun sets and down a few “adult” beverages, your fingers turn into your worst enemy. Alas you end up texting the very same person you swore you’d never contact again—your ex. While reading the misspelled words can cause a few chuckles the morning after, it can be darn right terrifying if you realize you’ve poured your heart out to an ex; even worse if your ex never responds to your pleas or specifically tells you to leave him or her alone. Drunk texting is truly a heinous crime. That said in order to save face and avoid humiliation, do not drunk text. Ever. But because it’s a little easier said than done, below are a few tips to help you have a night of fun without losing a little bit of your dignity.

1. List as “Do Not Text”

One of the easiest ways to prevent yourself from drunk texting or calling your ex is to change his or her contact information to something obscure—something so out of the ordinary that hopefully you’ll a) forget where to find him or her in your contact list or b) at the very least be reminded of why you’re not together anymore. For example, erasing “John” and replacing it with “Cheater,” “Lazy Bum,” or “Jerk” will most definitely make you think twice before pressing send. Or, you can keep it standard and simply list that person as “Do Not Call” or “Do Not Text” to give you a little bit more control during your time of weakness.

2. Swap Phones

While a great solution for a drunk texting problem is to simply leave your phone at home, it can become semi-dangerous and inconvenient if you get lost/separated from your group of friends or need find a ride home. But all you need is a phone—any phone to keep you in contact with the people you’re going out with. That said, swap phones with a friend just for the night. That way, you have a phone in case there’s an emergency, but you’re ex’s number is nowhere to be found.

3. Get Special App

There are also a few apps in the iPhone and Android market that can help smart phone users place restrictions on certain numbers—meaning, you can specifically limit your access to contacts in your phone during certain hours of the day. My favorite is DrunkBlocker. Before you start drinking, all you need to do is set a time where you don’t want to be able to call/text your ex (let’s say between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.) and you can’t get in touch with that person in that time frame. Best part? It’s free. Others include Drunk Text Preventer and Textalyzer.

4. Delete Number

Lastly, the most rationale idea (but what many may see as the most radical one) is to just simply delete your ex’s number from your contact list along with any pre-existing text message threads. If you’re scared to do this because you fear one day you might actually need his or her number for something, write down the number and “hide” it in place for safe keeping. If you use Gmail, for example, you can simply save his or her number in your contacts page, but don’t include it in your phone.
Does anyone else have any additional tips to prevent drunk texting an ex?

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.

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