New dating site eases cyber romance fears

Today’s generation of college students are divided between those who believe there still is a social stigma attached to online dating and those who increasingly embrace it as an adopted norm of our “busy bee” society.“Well, I suppose it’s still taboo for older generations,” said biology freshman Vanessa Penna. “If I ever met someone online, I wouldn’t feel comfortable telling my mom where I met them. I’d probably lie and tell her I met them at school.”With the intent of eradicating the perils of online dating by allowing members to search for other users who attend the colleges in their vicinity at their discretion, a couple of Columbia University business graduate students, Balazs Alexa and Jean Meyer, created DateMySchool, a free online dating website.

The beauty of DateMySchool is that members are not searchable on Google, thus alleviating fears of embarrassment previously associated with having an online dating account. Users can also limit who can access their profiles within the site, so if they prefer to remain anonymous to a certain course or even an entire campus, they can.

The real kicker is its exclusivity.

Students interested in creating an account must register with an active university email address. Not only does this guarantee the high security that doubters of virtual courtship demand, but it also ensures members will find people who share similar academic interests and partake in the same collegiate lifestyle.

“Because DMS members attend the same school or a school nearby and place the same priority on education and careers, members understand, trust and relate to one another in a way that they cannot on other dating sites that filter users through their zip codes,” stated DateMySchool’s Director of Public Relations, Melanie Wallner.

DateMySchool facilitates meeting a potential date by delving into a university’s infrastructure. It enables students to filter their searches based on whether a member attends the College of Arts and Sciences or the College of Engineering and Computing, whether they are looking for Women’s Studies or Public Administration majors, or whether they come from a Roman Catholic or Baha’i background.

Students at the University are impressed by the site’s innovative process.

“It’s a pretty convenient website,” commented Rachel Betancourt, a sophomore psychology major. “Personally, I don’t think I’d be into long distance relationships [but] meeting people in the area would be pretty cool; the only difference is that you’re dealing exclusively with college kids.”

Carlos Martinez, a computer science junior, remarked, “I think it’s a good alternative for people who don’t have the time for traditional dating, but then again, who does?”

DateMySchool caters to all types of universities, especially to a public state institution like the University that has over 40,000 students, an inordinate amount of departments and other various campuses mottled around the South Florida area. According to Martinez, these conditions make it difficult to meet people and foster connections.

“Here’s the thing,” said Wallner, “FIU students have a ton on their plate. They’ve got the Panthers’ game to watch, this 20-page paper to bust out, that club meeting to plan—with so much to do on campus, students don’t always have the time to meet new people, especially because they’re busy going to the parties that only reintroduce them to the people they already know.”

Betancourt adds, “The distinct appeal that separates DateMySchool from other dating sites like OkCupid and Zoosk lies within its estimated success in bringing college students exactly what they want, right in the comfort of their own school. It is one solution that aptly meets students’ criteria of what they look for, not only in a partner, but also in an online dating platform.”

DateMySchool will officially launch at FIU on Wednesday, August 17th, 2011.