Volume 124 Issue 94 kansan.com Friday, February 10, 2012 SHOW ME THE MONEY OAMDHO --t's becoming increasingly common for college students to meet dozens of eligible partners without even leaving their couch. One in ten Virtual Romance How to meet your soul mate without getting out of your pajamas. // SASHA LUND PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MORGAN LATORE American internet-using adults have used online dating, according to Pew Internet and American Life Project, with the youngest age group of 18-29 year-olds being the most common online daters. One KU student using Plentyoffish.com, who goes by the username Hawrk, has been experimenting with several online dating websites. "It's just a different way to meet people," Hawrk says. "I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to find yet, but it's a way to see what's out there." Students who use the internet to find love are becoming more common, says Julie Spira, an online dating expert and author of "The Perils of Cyber Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking For Love Online." "You're busy, you're on your computer, you're on your smart phone, so you're much more technologically attached. With online dating, you meet people you may never have met in your normal routine." Dennis Dailey, retired Professor of Social Welfare, explained that online dating is just a new, tech-friendly form of making connections with people. "From my own perspective, all it represents is creative young people using available mechanisms. Before bars, it was church socials. Before socials, it was arranged by parents." "With online dating, you meet people you may never have met in your normal routine." With the growing trend of students using these methods, many websites have been set up that are specifically targeted at college students. Spira recommends websites like DateMySchool.com because of its specialized tools used to help students meet people they might not otherwise meet. "I think that it's a great site because it allows you to meet people in a different curriculum, or someone studying the same thing at another school. Sites like that are going to increase social dating," says Spira. DateMySchool.com is unique to the social dating science because it requires a university email address before joining, to ensure only students and alumni can utilize the service. Spira says that once a student has decided to try online dating, they must be aware of the strategies that can be used to increase the chances of meeting someone they're compatible with. She compares using online dating services to finding a dream job. "Look at your personal life the same way as a job. There's going to be some rejection." To make the process easier, Spira suggests that someone expect it to take six months. She recommends allotting a certain amount of time each day into searching for people you might be interested in. While online dating is becoming a fast trend within universities, experts are encouraging online daters to use caution when selecting potential partners. "Online dating safety is a very big hot button issue for me. There are a lot of stories about people being assaulted so it's important to not feel as if you're in a relationship with someone you've never met, you just know them from behind the keyboard," says Spira. Dailey cautions students who use "hook-up sites," websites that are used for the sole purpose of finding a partner to have casual sex with. "You don't get as much information on the spot, but it's not that much different than hooking up with someone at a frat party or a bar. There's dangerousness in all of that." The risks of online dating is one reason many students have yet to jump on the internet dating bandwagon. Some students feel that they can't know who they are really talking to when meeting someone over the internet. "Online dating is super creepy," says Kayci Vickers, a senior from Eudora. "There's no way to know who's actually on the other end. You might think you're talking to a 22-year-old stud when it's actually a 45-year-old sex offender." Dating online may not be the most popular way to get a date, but Dennis Dailey, retired Professor of Social Welfare, says he doesn't think it's going away. "Technology is here to stay. It's one way people can do it, and some people might find that better than going to a bar." STAYING SAFE WHEN DATING ONLINE Julie Spira, online dating expert and author of "The Perils of Cyber Dating. Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking For Love Online," offers these tips to keep students safe when meeting people over the internet. Don't talk to people without a photo posted. These are most likely the people who are either dangerous or already in a relationship. Don't give out your personal information. Keep information such as last name, address and phone number for after you meet. When you're taking your relationship from online to offline make sure you feel comfortab at all times. If you start to fee uncomfortable, tell them you have a meeting and leave right away Meet in a public place, and let a friend know where you'r meeting. Text a friend, and let them know that your date is going well. If it's not, tell them you're going to leave. According to Douglas County Jail records, the suspect is charged with four counts of kidnapping, three counts of robbery and one count of aggravated robbery. The charges stem from a robbery reported January 10, in which four men robbed an apartment in the Applecroft Apartments at 1734 W. 19th St. *15dlyer@nailSalir.co.uk* Kim Murphree, a police spokesman, wrote in an email that the 23-year-old man was located in Ottawa, brought by the Lawrence Police Department to the police training center during the investigation, and arrested. Lawrence police arrested an Ottawa man Wednesday suspected of kidnapping and the robbery of a Lawrence apartment. The men took cell phones, mar- That suspect returned January 10, and when Hartwell heard a knock at the door, the 19-year-old said more of his friends had come Hartwell said he and his roommates knew the 19-year-old man first arrested by police because he had come over before. Hartwell and the others were forced to stay in the bathroom until the men left, and were left without a way to contact the police, because the robbers had taken their cell phones and torn up "They started beating him because he wouldn't open the safe." Hartwell said. "Eventually he did though." They walked to a gas station and called the police. Another resident felt Applecroft Apartments should have notified residents of the robbery. "They were yelling, 'we want all your stuff,' Hartwell said. "They said, 'we have guns, we will kill you." Mack Hartwell, a 19-year-old former University student and victim in the case, was not aware of the second arrest, but recalled the robbery. "It's pretty safe here usually," said Danielle Garcia, a University graduate. "But I think they should have notified us, because when something happens, you should be put on alert." The owners of the apartments declined to comment on the case. tash, most of which was located in a safe. It was the second arrest made in the case. The LPD arrested a 19-year-old Ottawa man hours after the robbery. Hartwell heard his friend, who owned the safe, being hit by the suspects while another man stayed with the other four victims. Hartwell thinks the remaining suspects will also be arrested, but said he will remain more attentive. "I don't know for sure if they did, but they said they did and it looked like they had them," Hartwell said. "When it's in the moment, you just don't question it." "I will definitely check out who ever comes over from now on." Hartwell said. "I'm just going to be more careful." As soon as the men entered, all four suspects began yelling and some appeared to have guns. choreograph dance routines and build sets. Some parts of the preparation start even before the fall semester. Around 12 pairs of fraternities and sororites compete in the fall to make it into the final show, but only five are selected. Edited by Amanda Gage Then the process becomes even more intense; each group practices is at least an hour per day, which makes it difficult to have a life outside of Rock Chalk. "It's like you put everything into this," said Hannah Schoeb, a sophomore from Leawood and one of the six directors of Delta Delta Delta and Sigma Nu's show. "I mean, I still did fine in school, but I got an A- and I'm a perfectionist. I've put a lot of my friendships on hold and my relationships on hold." The process is even more de- ue ng tice CH/KANSAN rehearsal. will perform co-exece- rance, a se-ke Drape practice, highly five perer job the ex- cit. their show was when said. "It's you grow, with other cee" door from directors ma Chi's excited people to original helped he also one anxi- remem- t year I nervous the cur-opened, I'm going to be even more nervous because I'm a director and there's even more pressure," Henzlik said. "I'm from out-of-state and I was fairly new to the house and the community, so I figured it would be a good way to get to know people." Morrison said. "It turned out to be an awesome experience." Kirk Morrison, a sophomore from Tulsa, Okla., first participated in Rock Chalk as a freshman as a way to branch out. Rock Chalk Revue is on March 1 and 2 at 7 p.m. and March 3 at 5 p.m. at the Lied Center. Tickets are available at the Lied Center box office and website. CLASSIFIEDS 11 CROSSWORD 4 CRYPTOQUIPS 4 OPINION 9 Edited by Amanda Gage SPORTS 12 SUDOKU 4 I contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2012 The University Daily Kansan Today is William Allen White Day. Take time to celebrate all things journalism at the University. Today's Weather Forecasts by University students. For a more detailed forecast, see page 2A. 4 Baby,it's still cold outside. 10