Chatroom Dating

Internet dating and the online dating services are some of the best methods out there for meeting new romantic partners. But they're not the only online dating resource available - internet chatrooms have long been a source of new cyber-relationships, and many an online romance has translated into a real-life dating scenario.

The great thing about chatrooms is that there's less pressure on the relationship. Because you're anonymous, if you change your mind about someone, or decide that this isn't the right dating forum for you, you can either leave, or change your nickname. Hey presto, a brand new you!

Try these tips to help you get the best out of your chatroom experience:

1. For safety's sake, and to protect your identity, use an email address that's separate to your work or personal address. Don't give away too much information - keep it to the basics such as sex and age.

2. As with all of the online dating services, be careful about how much private information you give out. You'd be surprised how even small details can give your identity away - and you need to be 100% secure about how genuine someone is before giving them the ability to track you down.

3. Trust your gut. If you think someone's acting a bit weird in a chatroom, then they probably are. If someone's using inappropriate language (and this counts even in adult dating forums) then disengage with the chatroom. Learn to trust your instincts on this one.

4. To get the most out of a chatroom, don't try to be someone you're not. Keep it real, and you'll attract genuine, like-minded people.

5. Equally, don't be tempted to use fake photographs of yourself. And this counts for internet dating profiles, too! There's no worse start to a relationship than turning up in the flesh and your partner being disappointed...

6. If you meet someone you like online, think about sharing some cyber activities together such as online games, competitions, or participating in other chatrooms. It gives you another way to get to know someone, and you'll get an idea about how much time they are willing to invest in the relationship.

Finally, the same advice applies as to any of the more traditional dating services: keep it safe. When you meet your chatroom date in the flesh, go somewhere public, and make sure you've arranged to call a friend an hour into the date. If something doesn't feel right then make your excuses and leave. Most of all have fun with the opportunities that the internet gives you to meet lik eminded people keen for adventure. Turns out that chatrooms aren't just for techie geeks after all...