It’s that time of year again. Clothes begin to shuffle into suitcases, books are frantically ordered from Amazon, and fights break out between parents over who will drive you down. Term’s starting!
Worry not though – sure, you’ll be facing those late-night library breakdowns fuelled by 35p energy drinks, those hangovers that will have you dragging your duvet with you morosely from room to room, and the scaling of horrendous hills on campus (were they always that steep?!). But uni also brings the welcome promise of that glorious species – boys. Lots of them. And to the lovely singleton that comes hand in hand with one very unlovely word. Dates.
That tiny inconsequential word strikes fear in the hearts of millions, rendering them a nervous, sweaty wreck. Haven’t we all heard a disaster story that makes us roar with laughter and cringe in equal measure? And more often, secretly feel ecstatic that it wasn’t us? Ladies, I give you the ‘Never Turned Up’, the ‘So…Do You Want To Pay?’ and, my personal favourite, the ‘I’m Actually Really Into Taxidermy At The Moment’.
Some are less severe than others. A friend of mine once went to the cinema, and her date bought a packet of Minstrels and proceeded to not offer her a single one. After that, he was dead to her. Another met a cute guy for drinks who she’d liked for weeks, surely those are all the elements for a successful date? Well, not in this case it seems. He polished off two bottles of wine and then couldn’t even speak. There is nothing sexier than watching two bouncers mop dribble off your date’s chin as they escort him out of a pub.
It’s not just the guys who are always the first date offenders. We recognise that sometimes (very, very rarely) we are at fault. I once went on a date with a guy who I had met previously on a night out. He was 27. Bolstered by high spirits, I assured him I was 24, working as a high profile web designer and renting out my own flat! I was 17. The web of lies I had spun were so great I had even impressed myself. Unfortunately, on the actual date, things got a lot less impressive when I couldn’t remember in which area I ‘lived’ or what ‘really really complicated’ project I was currently managing. To this day I live in fear that he will find me and demand to know the names of all my colleagues.
But ultimately, despite the horror stories and the toe-squirming awkwardness of that initial date, we have to remember it’s just that. A first date. If you decide that you really don’t like them, it will remain a first date and you’ll never be forced to spend one-on-one time with them again. It’ll be a funny story to regale your friends with. So, embrace the nerves, be open-minded and like everything else at uni remember, you won’t know until you try. You might even like them! Unless, of course, they’re stingy about Minstrels.
Photo Credit – Weheartit.com