When I was 18 years old, I did something pretty crazy; I agreed to meet a boy from the Internet in person. Back then, online relationships were still a fairly new concept, and there were a handful of people who tried to discourage me from meeting this boy. They tried to convince me that he wouldn't be who he claimed he was, or that he had some bad intentions for meeting me, but I was determined to go through with it. We had been communicating through Skype for a couple of years, and I had a strong gut feeling that he was actually the person he appeared to be online. Luckily, I was right, and I was able to prove everyone wrong. It has been three years now, and yes, we're still together.
Although it's becoming much more acceptable than it was several years ago, there is still a negative stigma surrounding online dating. Don't get me wrong, I love the show "Catfish," but I feel like it's sending out the wrong message about online relationships. Not everyone online is lying about their identity, and not everyone online is a psycho serial killer, either. There is a great possibility that the person on the other side of the screen is just as normal as you are, and despite what others may say, there is absolutely nothing wrong with pursuing a romantic relationship, or even a friendship with someone you meet on the Internet.
At first, I was always hesitant to answer truthfully when people asked how I met my boyfriend. People will always assume that I was on some random dating website, or that I was spending my time as a teenager seeking a relationship on the Internet, but the truth is, I wasn't. Our meeting was purely coincidental; neither of us was looking for a romantic relationship. It just kind of...happened.
I can vividly remember the day we met in person, and I would be lying if I told you that I wasn't majorly freaking out for the entire week beforehand. But once he got here and we got to spend time together in person, I knew that I had made the right choice. I'm glad that I didn't listen to the people who warned me against meeting him because now we are three years into our relationship, we're living together, and I honestly couldn't be happier.
I'll admit, it's an extremely nerve-racking experience meeting someone from the Internet, but it's totally worth it. Of course, you should still take the safe route and make sure you meet in a public place, let family and friends know where you're meeting them, etc. But as long as there's not a single doubt in your mind that this person is the real deal, I wholeheartedly encourage you to go for it. The experience may very well end up changing your life.
Yes, I did meet a weirdo from the Internet, but he's the good kind of weird, and I love him very much.
