We are currently growing up in a dating age that is ever so changing. People are now becoming dependent on social media to “shoot their shot” and even incorporating dating apps such as Tinder and Siren. The word dating has also been blurred over the past few years with the help of social media applications such as Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. These apps have allowed people to redefine and sketch out their own various components that go into what exactly dating is today. Just like the “talking stage,” many millennials now find themselves confused an in a gray area when it comes to defining their relationships with others.
The true definition of dating includes the simple act of going out in the public forum consistently with another person with the goal to get to know them better and on a deeper level than what the average person knows about them. With this in mind, there have also been many discussions on if chivalry is dead to us in this generation. Throughout my experience in college and the stories I have heard from friends throughout the years, I realized this could be a possibility. Guys believe that if given the chance or opportunity, they will attempt to skip the actual going out part of the process. This could be seen in many ways with one being the infamous “Netflix and Chill” line. Being in college and living on campus makes this opportunity more accessible. I’m pretty sure we’ve all found ourselves in situations where you may get a text from that one guy you’ve been telling your friends about, but his only efforts to see you have consisted of coming over to your room or late night visits after a party.
Personally speaking, I’ll put rules in place with what I am comfortable with, and I also encourage my close friends to do the same when it comes to the dating scene. If you approach a woman to get to know her on a personal level, your actions also need to correspond and coincide with one another. The act of getting a girl’s number and inviting her on a nice outing to dinner or a movie isn’t really heard of anymore. After I realized this trend, I started asking my guy friends and going to panels centered around the male perspective when it comes to the dating world and their thought process, and I found one thing to be consistent. Guys are finding it less of a requirement to follow in the traditional courting style and I believe social media and dating apps play a huge role in this. The reasoning behind it seems to be that men no longer want to spend their money on a date with a girl that they are just getting to know… even though that is the whole purpose of dating a girl you have found interest in.
Another point to be made about dating is that it is not exclusive, and that is where a lot of people mess up whereas being in a relationship is exclusive between you and that person. Individuals get caught up and often find themselves hurt or feeling some type of way because they may be into someone, but then you realize that at the end of the day they are not entitled to you in any way. Dating may be going out of style along with the traditional approach for courting going with it as well, but at the end of the day you can always control what you deem as acceptable and unacceptable. Stay on your toes ladies!