The transition from high school to college was undoubtedly the most exciting thing to ever happen to me. While I was in high school, the only thing I thought about was getting out of my quaint, little town and reinventing myself at a place where absolutely no one knew me. I worked hard in high school, studied a lot, and focused on maintaining my friendships and staying involved in extracurricular activities. I had no time to date, nor was I interested in dating anyone from high school because I knew I would be relocating somewhere far away eventually. When I got to college, I was completely immersed in the world of dating: a world I knew nothing about.
Yes, college dating is completely different from high school dating, but I was being introduced to the entire category of dating in general. In high school, everyone was either completely and utterly single, “talking” to someone, or dating someone. In college, it is so much more than that. The options vary from friends with benefits and random hookups to steady college relationships. In college, the possibilities of endless.
After a year of experiencing the world of college dating, I have concluded that I completely suck at it. I have never liked the idea of “casual dating,” nor am I good at it. I don’t want to waste my time on someone if I don’t like them as a person whether it’s physical or not. When I like someone, I don’t play games. I text back in a timely manner, I answer snapchats, and I tell someone when I want to see them again. Seeing one person at a time is ideal for me, but most other people my age don’t see it that way. Meeting other people who share these same views on dating in college is not easy, as the hookup culture seems to be the most common thing in universities nowadays. As much as I would like to be the woke millennial female who can freely date and go after whoever she wants whenever she wants, I will never be that girl. I want love, not fun. I am not afraid to get my heart broken if it means something better is eventually coming my way.
It’s hard not to feel alone when everyone seems to be freeing all of their inhibitions and embracing the popularity of casual dating, but I am hopeful for the future. Ladies, know that you are not alone if you also feel this way. It’s okay to know what you want and you don’t have to feel ashamed if you don’t feel comfortable partaking in the hookup culture. Puppies are better than boys anyway.