It seems like in every movie or TV show about college, the main character always has this super cute significant other who they met the first week of school. They always meet under some weird circumstance, hate each other, and then end up falling in love. But let’s be real – it’s not even a little bit like that.
Dating in college can be best described as weird.
In college, you meet people everywhere. Whether it be in class, at events, sports games, clubs, and even work, you are constantly interacting with people because that’s just the environment we’re in! You can’t predict when or where you’ll meet someone amazing- because you basically meet someone new every day.
On top of that, in college you start to realize that everyone maintains a different pace in relationships, and you never ~really~ know what someone expects or even wants. In my experience it seems like people my age – myself included – don’t know how to properly express their feelings because we’re afraid to be vulnerable. – Cue “Games” by Demi Lovato, because dating today is a cat and mouse game that can sometimes feel like no one can win. In our world today that is so technologically driven, it feels so much more difficult to actually date someone. I think the problem is that there’s this kind of “FOMO” mentality surrounding everything. It seems as though people are always looking for the next best thing, and can never be happy with what they already have. Whether it be someone better looking, fitter, more thoughtful, or someone who just gives you more of a warm and fuzzy feeling. No one’s ever satisfied with the person they are “talking” to, but I feel like you shouldn’t be searching for something better when you already have something great right in front of you.
College is a weird time. You are surrounded by the biggest dating pool you will ever have, but sometimes it feels like a fishbowl. On one hand, it’s frustrating because it feels like a constant struggle on where you may stand but in the end you learn what you want and the type of partner you want or more importantly need. It’s both a blessing, and a curse.
In reality dating is weird and sometimes hard to navigate, but in the end all the heartache, lost sleep, and unread texts are worth it.