It was at a coffee shop around the corner from my place that my local social group decided to tackle the topic of blind dates. It was getting late and we were all sipping on fruity ice drinks, trying to beat the late-night heat. A couple from the building across from mine had just come back from getting pictures developed for their upcoming wedding. They had taken shots of themselves in various poses holding signs with numbers on them to mark the tables for their guests. We got to chatting about who was going to their wedding when they started in on the single friends they could set me up with. Blind dates are certainly one way to meet but I personally don’t like the idea of a set-up.

Hooking up with friends of friends comes with one big drawback. What if things don’t work out? I know from my dating style that I have a lot of first dates but not many second kicks at the can. This means that there’s a lot of rejection and some people don’t take kindly to it. I went on a date set up by a friend of mine not too long ago. The girl was fantastic. She was stunning, talented and a lot of fun. The problem was that I just couldn’t see myself with her long-term. After that first date, I didn’t pursue anything further. We met up at a number of parties following that but there was always this uncomfortable air. She was uncomfortable. My friend was uncomfortable. This led to me feeling uncomfortable as a result. Even though time has passed, that connection hasn’t really repaired itself and it has led to a major change in the relationship with my friend.

"Blind dates are a part of life for singles but now, too, is online dating."

Online dating provides the solution to this problem. I live in a major urban center where there are tons of singles on dating sites that have no connection to people I associate with on a regular basis. I can have as many first dates as I could ever want and not lose any sleep over where the relationship is or isn’t going from there. There are a lot of places that don’t afford this luxury, though, such as smaller rural communities. In this case, blind dates are a necessary evil. But for anyone who has a healthy offering of connected singles in their area, online dating provides a great solution for getting around what could easily become an uncomfortable connection.

In our little coffee shop summit, there were a number of people who said that I was being too guarded. I happen to partially agree. Your friends know you best and they may know some people you may be good with. Plus, you don’t want to look back and regret a chance you didn’t take. I’m not saying shy away from all blind dates that come your way. What I would suggest is that you take into account all the possible scenarios that could develop. Blind dates are a part of life for singles but now, too, is online dating. Each come with pros and cons so opting for dark glasses that you can see through is better than a blindfold when it comes to finding future love.