Many students are filled with confusion about their dating life; some might say that it doesn’t even exist. Although it might seem impossible to change the current culture, teens set the standard for how they want to be pursued in relationships.
Back in the mid to late 1900s, women were intentionally pursued by men and asked on several dates a week, with the sole purpose of getting married. They probably experienced more than one proposal in their younger years as well. This may seem intense in our current dating culture, but they had the right idea–make men work for them.
However, modern technology has made it all too easy to get a relationship without the nerve-racking face-to-face meeting. Rather we have created a new stage before dating–“talking.” Senior Elizabeth Pishke relates. “I think the talking stage has created this sense of self-worth in some teens. So if they’re ‘talking’ to someone they feel wanted or important,” she expressed.
Students get so wrapped up in their snapchat relationship that their mind is trained into thinking their worth comes from the quantity and consistency of their snaps. Yet many people don’t take this version of a relationship seriously, leaving one person in a conflicting state of heartbreak when the other drops off the face of the earth.
Ghosting is the act of dropping all contact with a person suddenly, but it does not exist in actual dating because couples establish future dates while together and leave no questions unanswered. Nowadays, teens are viewing relationships through the lens of snapchat and texting, which can lead to a harder time interacting socially with others when they need to.
Senior Ella Howell details her observations. “You never truly know where you stand, or even if you are the only person they are ‘talking’ to,” she said. Teens experience confusion rather than genuine love when they are attempting to enter into a relationship by snapchatting.
Dating does not have to be foreign. With a pure mindset, dating can be the spark that ignites the most prosperous love. When teens demand to be properly pursued, they gift themselves the freedom of never entering into a relationship without serious intentions.
“Getting to know someone in person helps you understand their mannerisms and what truly makes them special,” Howell reveals. There is something different about pursuing a relationship through dating which reveals someone’s character and the connection between two people.
Furthermore, having the courage to ask someone on a date and follow through shows confidence and maturity which are both necessary qualities for a sustainable relationship. The intention behind going on a date is fueled by mutual respect and a desire for them to know that they are the only person in front of them.
When begun with serious intentions, relationships will last longer. Compared to modern day texting which brings inevitable confusion and doubts of self worth, going on weekly dates provides clarity and intimacy.
