As those of us who are single know, it isn't always easy to meet new people. Work obligations, responsibilities at home, and for an increasing number of us, the fact that we have outgrown the age where pickups in the local bar are fun all limit the ways we have for interacting with other singles who share similar interests.

Internet dating sites have blossomed in popularity - eHarmony, Match.com, Lavalife, and Plenty of Fish, to name a few. When I found myself single again last year after a fairly long relationship of nine years, I decided it might be easier to get back into the swing of things by trying one of the online sites. Just to get my feet wet again, I chose OkCupid.

The initial draw to OkCupid (or OkC, as it's referred to by its users) for me was the quizzes. I am an online quiz junkie, and OkC has thousands of user-generated quizzes for the taking. Membership there is free, and it only takes a few minutes to set yourself up so that you can take and store all your quiz results. Quiz results can also be posted to Facebook, MySpace, and a host of other networking sites.

In addition to the quizzes, OkC has the usual member profile pages where you can write a short summary of yourself, what you like, what you are interested in, and post a few pictures of yourself. The interface is very easy to use, even for someone who is not very tech-savvy. Each profile also has a built in journal for those who enjoy blogging, and there are very active forums with a wide variety of topics for people who like the quick paced give and take of those exchanges.

One of the best features on OkC is the match questions. Unlike other sites, these questions are written and submitted by the site users. You have the option of answering as many or as few as you like, but your match percentages with other people on the site are much better the more questions you answer. In addition to matching you with other people based on romantic compatibility, it also matches you based on friendship and enemy percentages.

You can search for matches based on age, gender, sexual orientation, location, and match percentages. They have a great "stalk" feature, which allows you to see those members who visit your profile. Unlike some other sites, this feature can also be turned off, allowing you to browse anonymously if that is your preference.

In addition to the match questions, forums and quizzes, OkC also regularly hosts contests to encourage people to connect with one another, whether by creating new tests with specific themes or giving out bonuses for people who initiate new contacts with people they have never spoken with before. Prizes have included winning iPods or free mailbox expansions or ad-free access to the site. 

I've been using OkC for some time now. I've talked to countless people, made some very good internet friends, and even managed to score a few dates. The men that I've met have been funny and articulate and the meetings have all gone well. In fact, one person I met ended up being someone I dated for several months. I also have not limited myself to meeting local people - I had the chance to spend some time in Europe last winter and was able to meet with a few of my OkC penpals in person while I was there.

If you read through the "Success" threads in the forum, there have been quite a few successful transitions from emails to lasting relationships and even a few marriages. There are also meet and greet events being put together by site users all the time, giving people an excellent opportunity to make new friends in their area.

Not bad for a completely free site with so much user-created content.