Editor calls on students to date

Connor de Bruler
Opinion editor 

Connor de Bruler Casual dating is dead.

I’ve had several girlfriends since the bygone days of high school, but I can honestly say I’ve never dated anyone. Our generation seems to have killed this once-popular method. We don’t bother to get to know people before we decide to jump into a relationship.

My first girlfriend in high school decided I was her boyfriend on our first outing. I was 15 years old, which meant I was happy with who I could get so I didn’t object. I thought, however, that I had been tricked.

My parents told me that when they were young, one could go out on dates with several different people. Dating didn’t mean being exclusive. The exclusivity came later after a couple of dates. People tried their options in the mid-80s. Today, people become upset if they find a person at the movies with someone else. I don’t agree with instant exclusivity.

No one even uses the term “dating.” A person says he or she is “with” someone or “hooking up.” The latter term has several different meanings that imply sex as well as simply kissing.

I could never tell if a girl wanted to go out on a date or just hang out as friends. I always had friends who happened to be girls so it was difficult to differentiate how certain people felt. And because no one said “date,” I was hopeless. I spent so much money on movie tickets and ice cream.

“Twilight” has also played a big role in the destruction of dating. Everyone wants that special person to love too much. True love does not exist. People should not tie themselves down to one person so quickly. It’s important to find someone compatible - someone who can be a friend as well as a lover.

Love is learned after trust and time.

The former generation accuses us of being too promiscuous. Apparently, we invented the term “friends with benefits.” I think that’s all wrong.  

Adultery and promiscuity have been around longer than time itself. Folks in the 70s were practicing much more “free love” than kids today. I think we aren’t promiscuous enough. We latch onto each other and aim for long term relationships quicker than ever before.

Dating is just what our generation needs. The social climate has changed during the last decade, and the poor economy is directly affecting the stress levels of college students. More and more schooling is constantly required as the value of university degrees becomes ever more inflated in the job market. Everyone I know is stressed. That’s a really terrible state to be in when thinking about engaging in a relationship.

We don’t need relationships.

We need dating. We need no-strings-attached, all-American dating.

Let’s revive a dead aspect of our nation’s vibrant youth culture. Let’s date several people at once. Let’s go out on the odd date and refuse commitment. Let’s love ourselves as much as we love others. The dream of dating is alive and well my brothers and sisters.