Here’s Why I Chose OkCupid Over Friends Who Played Matchmakers

These set-ups never went beyond the third date. Why? Because they weren’t my choice.

If your friends and family have ever tried to set you up with someone they know, you know how it goes. In my case, these dates have mostly been quite uneventful. Agreed that these ‘matchmakers’ have known me since I was in pigtails. But these set-ups never went beyond the third date. Why? Because these men were vetted on the basis of their checklists of who they thought was a perfect man for me. It couldn’t have had a happy ending.

The thought that I know my kind better than anyone else has been beautifully captured in this film by OkCupid.

“Find My Kind” is about a man and a woman who know what they want from life – a meaningful relationship with someone who shares the same set of values and beliefs. Somebody who cares about the planet, won’t make fun of them for their literary choices and will celebrate their quirks- in this case a shared hatred of tomatoes in their burgers(oh don’t I relate!) We see them answer questions on OkCupid that lead them to each other. And let me tell you something, these two aren’t the only ones who got lucky. I did too!

If you’re anything like me- independent and opinionated - you’ll relate to the moment where the girl walks out of an arranged marriage introduction, and cheer her on as she unleashes her good humour at neighbours judging her for her clothes.

The thing about the ad is that it really does reflect what we’re looking for in love in the 21st century. The app uses questions to match you to “your kind of person”, somebody who gets you.

I answered around 15 questions like “Do you like the taste of beer?”, “Do you believe in dinosaurs?”, to “How important is your religion to you?”, “Is climate change real?”, etc.

I know you will think that some of these questions are quite redundant but - when I think back to why those other dates were quite so bad I realised that it really is the little things that matter.

Not only do the questions help you express who you are, they also help you match with people who agree with you on those hard-hitting issues.

Based on how you answer, OkCupid will give you a percentage of compatibility with other users by comparing your answers and importance levels to theirs. So you can rest assured knowing that your hot Friday night date isn’t, well, “sad!” And my partner and I had a compatibility percentage of 89 per cent. I wasn’t shocked when the curse broke and we agreed to go on a fourth date. I finally found my kind!

The thing about OkCupid and this campaign is that it celebrates millennials who are questioning the way traditional relationships have always been and gives us a more meaningful alternate to shallow dating apps. This is a celebration of our individual opinions, likes and dislikes. That way, you’re not only showing who you are, but you’re also not wasting time dating someone who has a great picture but lacks any substance or has nothing in common with you.

If you have single friends who are still struggling on dates set up by their friends and family or struggling through the ambiguity of shallow dating app, bring them out of their misery. Introduce them to OkCupid. They will thank you later. And if you use it after reading my story, you’re welcome.