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 With
about a month left to find a date for New Year's Eve,
pressure is mounting for American singles who would
rather pair up with someone special than face the evening
alone. One-third of adults place a high priority on
finding a romantic partner to share the celebration,
according to a survey by udate.com, an online matchmaking
service for the 25-and-older crowd.
Respondents were quite clear about their desires for
the evening. While 20% would spend New Year's Eve with
someone they don't know well if they think it will be
fun, the majority of singles want to have a caring connection
with the person they choose to share the beginning of
the new year. Fifty-two percent prefer to spend the
evening with someone they care about and would otherwise
opt out of sharing the evening with a date. Whether
it's a formal party or a casual get-together, 42% envision
an evening spent with other couples, though 30% want
to be alone with a significant other for the romantic
holiday, a sentiment expressed twice as often by men
than by women.
What dynamics are important in a date? The overriding
mandate for 50% of singles is a sense of humor and fun.
Romantic chemistry ranked as the second most important
consideration. Seventy-seven percent found these same
characteristics desirable in a long-term mate. Thoughtfulness
and spirituality were not deemed very significant considerations
by either group.
There's still plenty of time to meet your mate for New
Year's Eve, and possibly forever after. maintains udate.com's
professional relationship expert and romance coach, Leslie
Karsner, who offers this advice:
Dare to go online. It's the fastest, most-efficient
way to meet a wide range of people who have the potential
to fit your desires. Meeting online gives you more control
than doing so in a singles bar. Moreover, you can get
to know them better through continual communication.
To aid your efforts, take the time to complete the information
requested in your profile and essay, and be shy about
posting a photo.
Go fishing. There's a big of singles out there. Don't
hesitate to introduce yourself to more than one person
if the fit seems like it might be right. Then let the
repartee take over and help you cull your candidates.
Don't overshare. One of the biggest mistakes people
make, particularly when chatting online, is providing
too much personal information. While you want to be
open and honest, there's still room for some mystery.
Don't let e-mail turn your prospect into a best buddy
before you have had the chance rule out your romantic
interests.
Voice-to-voice communication. If you think you've found
someone you like, don't wait longer than three e-mail
exchanges to call and talk to him or her personally.
The world of e-mail can be very safe and comfortable,
but nothing replaces the vibes you can get by hearing
the other person's voice. If you still think it's a
fit, arrange to meet one another. It doesn't have to
be more than a coffee at first. You decide where it
goes from there.
The rules of romance still apply. Technology can help
pare down the contenders, but building relationship
still takes that human connection. If you've found someone
you like, don't be hesitant to let him or her know.
Call to follow up on a date; send flowers; and, most
of all, enjoy.
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