What people are looking for is some one they are compatible with. They are looking for someone they can spend their life with. They're looking for someone to have fun with. They're looking for the millions of other factors that turns that individual on.

I've been on both sides. I've been on dating one person at a time, and i've dated multiple people. There are pros and cons for both.

Dating one person at a time.

Pros. You get to know someone really well. You have more concentration on one person. You're more likely to stick with this relationship because you have "more" invested in it.

Cons. There's a possibility you become too invested in it because there is nothing else. You may settle when you shouldn't. You become more afraid of life without this person because you don't want to be alone.

Dating more than one person at a time.

Pros. You get a greater variety of different people to choose from. Your confidence is boosted because you are not afraid to explore. You need not be beholden to the choice of one person. If someone decides you are not for them, you have other people still around. You have less of a fear of rejection because again, more choices. You have a better idea of what you want in a person.

Cons. It takes longer to get to know someone. There will come a time you have to make a choice, and that choice is usually hard. And once you make that choice, you will probably have some unpleasant "dumping" to do. It takes a lot more energy to date multiple people. Keeping people straight in your head is important. It makes it harder to commit when there are so many choices and the fear of hurting someone may delay making that choice for you.

Oh, FYI, after i made the choice, I knew i made the right choice. It took seeing all those other people to realize what i wanted. The woman i chose, she too, was dating multiple people. We ended up with each other and we are contemplating getting married in the near future.