The world of online dating can be a gamble for both parties. From eHarmony to Tinder, users may never be entirely sure they’re dating the person the profile says they’re dating.

However, that doesn’t mean that no one should give online dating a try.

I myself have semi-dated online, and I can tell you that despite the negatives, online dating can work out for both people involved.

For starters, you won’t have to constantly worry about your appearance when dating online. I don’t mean you don’t have to shower every day, but that lettuce you didn’t realize was stuck in your teeth can rest easy knowing it won’t be awkwardly spotted by your date.

You’re also still able to learn almost as much about one another online as in real life. While you can’t dissect all the nuances of a person’s personality as well as you could in real life, you can still talk about family, likes and dislikes, favorite dating spots and future desires.

Of course, that means both people will have to trust one another.

Trust is one of the primary aspects in any relationship, romantic or otherwise. The same applies to online dating, but to a much higher degree. You’ll have to decide for yourself if someone you’re thinking about dating online is trustworthy enough not to take advantage of you or lie about who they really are.

That said, the biggest issue that comes with online dating is the lack of physicality. If you’re like me, you enjoy holding hands, hugging and cuddling in a romantic relationship. Without that aspect there, physically-oriented people will have a hard time dating online.

That was one of the hardest things for me when I dated online.

Now, that all may seem negative, but I’m honestly not against online relationships. The distance thing can be a bit fun at times; you can possibly learn a lot about another town, or culture even, that you never knew before, and you can still romance one another nearly as much as in real life.

Plus, it might be a joy not having to decide what you want to do for dinner and hearing, “I don’t care,” or, “you decide,” nearly every single time.

In the end of it all, what’s to say online dating can’t be as successful as real-life dating? Soldiers can still maintain relationships through writing letters, and I’m sure there are many relationships that started with both parties as pen pals. Online dating simply adds very powerful technology to the mix.

So long as both people involved know what they’re getting into, I say have at it.