Online Dating Blog

Photo by termie
In the first few months of a relationship, everything has to be kept under the surface. God forbid that an open discussion could actually take place at this cautious stage. Instead, we need to maintain the balance between assuring someone we’re interested and making sure we don’t scare him or her off. This can be a tricky and frustrating game to play. Without the solid clarity of transparent conversation at our disposal, we have to fall back on understated signs and hints. These can be dropped into sentences or hidden in an answer to a question. They can be in the way we let the phone ring a little bit longer, or arrive that little bit later. They can even be there to find somewhere in cyberspace.

The invention of social media sites has been particularly advantageous for those trying to find love. A potential partner’s thoughts become public domain, and it’s amazing how much these messages, comments and status updates can say about someone. So, if you’ve got time to scour the internet, you may want to look out for these key signs your tryst is heading in the right direction.

1. A New Commentator
Think back to the amount of interaction you have on Facebook, Twitter, My Space, LinkedIn – whichever online sites you use. Although your partner might not have messaged you directly, they could have used slightly more subtle ways to grab your attention such as commenting on pictures of you, commenting on the same things as you, commenting on your status updates – just generally becoming your new commentator.

2. What’s on Your Mind?
Aside from commentating on all of your social media moves, they might also have subtly mentioned you in their messages to others and in their status updates. Look out for ‘had a lovely evening’ after a cinema trip, or ‘wishes it were Friday’ when you’re seeing them at the weekend. Or, they may be slightly more cryptic messages that need a little decoding. It’s amazing how much thought people put into these things, and your partner may be trying to tell you something this way.

3. They “Like” You
Take a look at their likes on Facebook, or whom they’re following on Twitter – any familiar names there? Maybe you introduced them to Peep Show, and it’s suddenly appeared on their favourite TV show list, or they’re now following David Mitchell. When you like somebody, it’s common to immerse yourself in his or her favourite things and try to get a sense of their world. This may be just what your partner’s doing here.

Photo by Spencer E Holtaway
4. Familiar Profile Pictures
Another key sign of attachment is when you start appearing in their profile pictures. Perhaps not an obvious, clear face shot of you and them, but it could be a photo from your album, or a photo from a day you spent together. This could be just one more subtle way they’re using to try to tell you that things are going well.

5. Relationship Status Update
This is the final and ultimate give-away. I’m not saying they will change their status to ‘in a relationship’ and expect you to follow suit. But look for discrepancies here. For example, they might have hidden it completely, made it reappear, or changed it to ‘it’s complicated’. Or they might have deleted the joke marriage with their best friend and replaced it with a very suggestive ‘single’.

Whether you’ve met through dating sites, through friends or on a train, if you see these social media signs, it may be time to have a clear conversation about your relationship and possibly get it signed off as ‘official’.

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