Spring Break
Web of love
Students using JDate report mixed results from using the online Jewish dating site
by Rachel Pfeffer
Features | 10/9/07
Posted online at 9:39 PM EST on 10/8/07
/ Last updated at 12:50 AM EST on 10/8/07
I recently learned that my cousin, who found his wife on JDate, is going to be a father. My friend's sister recently wed her JDate sweetie as well. And more and more of my Brandeis chums are signing up for the Jewish online dating service, but it wasn't until recently that I realized how large a presence JDate has on our campus. Intrigued by its apparent success, I opened an account for myself.
I grew tired after pages of pre-joining questions and eventually began to select options at random. I was, to my shame, not completely sure of my religious background (I settled on secular.) Once I had all of the necessary fields completed, I was able to do a search within my ZIP code. I immediately recognized quite a few Brandeis folks.
After counting both men and women whom I either recognized from Brandeis or who mentioned that they were students in their profiles, I tallied at least 36, the vast majority of whom are female. And that is only counting the members who listed Waltham as their location. Those who are seeking non-Brandesians more likely put Boston as their location.
The total number of 18- to 23-year olds signed up for JDate who have Waltham as their location is 36 women seeking men, five men seeking men, 20 men seeking women and two women seeking women. That tallies up to 63 college-aged JDate members from Waltham.
As I scrolled through an endless stream of JDate profiles, I was continually shocked to see pictures of my friends and acquaintances. I had no idea they were part of the system.
A myriad of questions sprung to my mind about JDate users: Do you only want to date Brandeisians, or do you go out of your way not to date Brandeisians? How fruitful is JDate? Have you gone on many dates? Have you been sorely disappointed with the outcomes? After some sleuthing, I reached several Brandeis JDaters, and with burning questions in hand, I found out why they venture online to meet significant others.
Meet "Todd." He joined JDate around March 2006 because he knew people who were using it and had heard good things.
I grew tired after pages of pre-joining questions and eventually began to select options at random. I was, to my shame, not completely sure of my religious background (I settled on secular.) Once I had all of the necessary fields completed, I was able to do a search within my ZIP code. I immediately recognized quite a few Brandeis folks.
After counting both men and women whom I either recognized from Brandeis or who mentioned that they were students in their profiles, I tallied at least 36, the vast majority of whom are female. And that is only counting the members who listed Waltham as their location. Those who are seeking non-Brandesians more likely put Boston as their location.
The total number of 18- to 23-year olds signed up for JDate who have Waltham as their location is 36 women seeking men, five men seeking men, 20 men seeking women and two women seeking women. That tallies up to 63 college-aged JDate members from Waltham.
As I scrolled through an endless stream of JDate profiles, I was continually shocked to see pictures of my friends and acquaintances. I had no idea they were part of the system.
A myriad of questions sprung to my mind about JDate users: Do you only want to date Brandeisians, or do you go out of your way not to date Brandeisians? How fruitful is JDate? Have you gone on many dates? Have you been sorely disappointed with the outcomes? After some sleuthing, I reached several Brandeis JDaters, and with burning questions in hand, I found out why they venture online to meet significant others.
Meet "Todd." He joined JDate around March 2006 because he knew people who were using it and had heard good things.
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