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Chatrooms are a great place to meet potential friends,
and perhaps lovers and even better you don't have to
dress up and pass visual inspection to go there.
The anonymity of a chatroom means that if you mess
up or you don't want to continue to get to know the
person you can just leave the chatroom and don't go
back or you can change your log-in nickname.
This is not a license to be obnoxious, but it does give
you plenty of room to practice making friends with strangers.
Here are some tips to help you out when using Chatrooms.
Stay SAFE!
Protect your identity
If you want total control of the information that is
too often revealed to the world through chatrooms, don't
use your personal or your work-related e-mail. You should
sign up for an e-mail account specifically to use for
chatting online. Sign up to a free e-mail service.
Don't reveal private information
Be careful about the information you give in casual
conversations. Don't give any hint of your work place,
your home town or other personal info that can be linked
to where you come from.
Listen to your head
Use your common sense and judgment. If someone sounds
creepy or a bit dodgey, there's a good chance they are.
If your flirting is getting a bit out of hand for your
liking, speak up or change your e-mail address and nickname.
Getting to know people
Be honest
If you want people to be open and honest with you, you
must also do the same. You don't have to go into personal
details, but don't pretend to be someone you are not
otherwise you will only attract the people that are
looking for the type of person you are pretending to
be.
Don't expect to much
Remember that you are using a chatroom so you have no
idea what this person really looks like or what their
personality is like. You may build a mental image of
them, but don't, because 9 times out of 10 you will
be wrong and will feel disappointed if they don't live
up to your expectations. Keep an open mind and you won't
be disappointed.
Develop common activities
Make dates with each other to share activities, like
playing online games or sharing a forum. Talk about
how long you expect to communicate online before meeting.
Don't fake photos
If you decide to swap pictures, send a current picture
which is flattering, but doesn't hide or distort your
true appearance. Misleading pictures are probably the
leading cause of disappointments in relationships that
start on the Internet. What ever you do make sure that
you give them a photo of you and not of someone else.
Meeting
If you get to the point in your online relationship
where you decide you want to meet each other, arrange
to meet in public (particularly females) where you will
be comfortable and safe. Meet in a busy place, over
coffee or a casual meal. Be prepared in case you don't
like them and have a back up plan. Ask a friend to phone
you an hour after meeting them and you can tell them
you will phone later, if you are getting on well. If
you aren't getting on well you can make an excuse and
leave. Remember to always let someone know where you
are at all times.
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