Dating in college can be hard, but for some reason, it seems to be particularly difficult at Florida State. One reason for this is our age. Most guys (and some girls) are so excited to be out of mommy and daddy’s house that they just go wild and want to have fun, and that’s normal – as long as you know when to draw the line.
Most of us turn 21 in college, but we’re allowed admission to most places with alcohol at the tender age of 18. Unfortunately, though, meeting guys at bars and clubs hardly ever turns into romantic bliss. People drink and make stupid decisions, it’s natural, but if a guy tells you you’re the “one” on the first night, he’s usually just trying to get one thing, and it’s not your hand in marriage.
Not everyone is looking for something serious, but even the term ‘dating’ seems to be foreign to many college students. One FSU student describes her college ‘dating’ life: “I’ve been asked out on dates, but the guys never follow through. I think they just say it so they seem sweet when they ask for your number.” So is there any hope for those trying to find love, or even just a decent guy to hang out with?
One students says, “I met my boyfriend almost a year before we got together. Being friends first always helps because then you can see what kind of guy he is from a friend’s perspective. You can also see how he treats other girls that he hooks up with before you become something more.” However, not everyone can be so lucky.
Sometimes you just want to give up on meeting guys in Tallahassee, and that’s exactly what one FSU student did. Sheila* was just finishing up her second year at Florida State and she was over all of the “loser guys” she kept meeting at the Tallahassee bars and clubs. So she put her heart in the hands of the internet and joined a dating site, a “ghetto eHarmony,” in her words. She went through several “matches” from all over the country with no luck. Finally, she was contacted by one of her matches, Martin*, from Detroit, Michigan. He was tall, blonde, and handsome. She didn’t know how a catch like him could have ended up on this dating site, but then again, so had she.
Sheila and Martin talked for several months and completely fell in love, so they finally agreed to meet. He bought her a plane ticket to Detroit, so she could stay with him for a weekend. When she finally got there, excited to meet her knight in shining armor, she was shocked: He looked nothing like the pictures he sent her. Yes, it was the same guy, but, in words difficult to say nicely, he was a little heavier than in the pictures – about 150 pounds heavier. She ended up forgiving him for his deception, but there are some things you can just never forget.
So maybe there is some hope left on this campus, but it doesn’t look too promising. If you’re interesting in dating, as opposed to just hooking up, then you’ve got to be patient. The guys that you meet in bars or clubs usually aren’t looking for anything more than a one night stand. So, if you’re interested in something more, like an actual date, you’ll have better luck looking elsewhere. Where, you ask? Check back next week, when HC lets you in on where to meet a decent guy at FSU.
*Names have been changed.