1. I love to laugh. If you haven’t looked through the profiles of thousands of women, I can’t possibly explain to you the ubiquity of this statement in terms you can understand. It is in literally every dating profile of every woman on the entire internets. Ladies, it’s great that you love to laugh – who doesn’t? - but you want to stand out, not blend in – so maybe you should steer clear of this statement. Guys, pay attention – maybe you should take in improv class or two.
2. I love to live life to the fullest. This statement has been used so many times that it’s as devoid of meaning as a clearing of the throat, or the statements “uh,” “um,” and “The Office is the best show on television.” If this is really what you love, great; but try to explain it in your own words, maybe “I approach life with the belief that one should experience as many things as possible.” Then, give a few examples of what you mean by that. Ultimately, “living life to the fullest,” is subjective. It means different things to different people, so be clear about what it means to you.
3. I’m up for anything. I simply don’t believe this statement. Running around the city naked? Skateboarding down the interstate? Scuba diving with great white sharks with a flank steak tied to your ankle? To me, this says “I am so uncreative, my interests are so ordinary, and my sphere of awareness of potential activities is so narrow, I can’t think of anything that I would not be ‘up for.’ Really, I am up for any crazy thing, be it going to a movie, trying a crazy tapas place, or even going to one of those insane bars where they let you just throw peanut shells on the floor. I am wild.”
4. It’s really hard to write about yourself. Clearly, because that’s what you aren’t doing right now. I’ve seen this statement so many times that I instantly close any profile that has it in it. Personally, I find writing about oneself to be a healthy activity. It reveals alot about your personality and mental maturity when you try to frame yourself in words and concepts other people can understand. If you’re really having trouble writing about yourself, maybe you should take some time doing so in your own personal journal – away from the eyes of the entire internets – you’ll be doing yourself a favor. I do this, and I’m a guy, isn’t that supposed to be a girly activity?
5. My friends talked me into this / I’m skeptical of this whole online dating thing / Some other concession for their presence on the site. Thanks. I must be a total loser to be using this site in earnest to put forth serious effort in finding someone to love. Can you tell how excited I am to date you now? It’s 2008. People have been using the internet to find love for well over a decade, and you’re still skeptical? Personally, I prefer someone a little more open-minded, who doesn’t insult my efforts to find a partner.

Wow, that was an angry post. Maybe I need to do some journal writing. Admittedly, these clichés are examples of things I’ve seen on women’s profiles. Ladies, what clichés do you see on men’s profiles?

If you’d like to hear my take on what you should write in an online dating profile, check out my post, How to Write an Online Dating Profile.

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