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The dating experience can be described in a lot of different ways. It doesn’t matter if you’re a self-described dating pro with twenty years of experience, or if you’ve been dating for two years, or only a few months. After you’ve been on a few dates -- and also after you’ve heard and read about other people’s experiences -- you’re going to have your own opinions about what dating is.
(When I talk about “dating,” I don’t mean dating one person exclusively, where you have an understanding that you’re only seeing each other. If you have that kind of mutual understanding, you’re in a relationship. I’m talking about dating multiple people, whether it’s through an online dating site, or speed-dating, or having friends set you up.)
The fill-in-the-blank opinion of “Dating is...” will be different for everyone, and it can change depending on your mood. Not only is it different for everyone, but dating is bound to introduce you to a range of emotions. Look at it this way. Is dating something you really enjoy? Or do you only see it as a means to an end?
One day I might say, “Tra-la-la! Dating is wonderful. Who will call next? Will it be Sam? Billy? Peter?” (Note: names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent.)
Another day I might say, “Grumble-grumble. Dating is frustrating. Why does Timmy send me text messages at 2am on a weekend but he’s too busy during the week to hang out?”
Depending on my mood, I might decide to go out with three different people in one week. (Check...but that was only one week, and I found it kind of stressful.) Some people you’ll end up seeing only one time, while you might go out with others on a number of occasions before one or the other of you decides it’s not working out.
Dating can sometimes seem like a game, even if you’re not the type of person who’s looking for a game -- you still have to play. A lot of people get tired of it and get out. I’ve heard from a number of people, both online and in person, who told me they used to do online dating but stopped for that very reason.
When you meet new people, it’s nothing like the comfort of being with someone you already know well. Even though it can be new and exciting and potentially stomach-fluttering, it can also be nerve wracking.
For me, dating is a lot of things. I’ve enjoyed some parts of it, but not others. It’s what I expected, but some things I could do without. I think I’d kinda like it if I were to meet someone who’d be able to convince me to stop looking.
Related Reading:
What Liz Said: Dating is absurd.
DC Femella: Dating can be a dreaded task.
S.G. Loughlin: Dating is weird (especially when you receive the “Worst Pickup Line Ever”).
Megan at Jezebel: Dating is about making yourself an open book (if you're Googleable, that is).
Bahar Takhtehchian: Dating is a cross-cultural experience (when foreign parents don't understand the purpose of dating).
(Contributing editor Zandria is still dealing with car woes, but she continues to blog regularly at Zandria.us.)
