Dating Sucks!
The dating pool is an utter joke. It’s a cesspool, a circus, a bucket full of porta-potty shit slurry. How in the hell are we supposed to find love in these conditions?
I’m a Gen Z’er in my early 20s, sentenced to enter my prime in the era of dating apps, podcasts, The Shade Room, and Twitter relationship debates. “Who pays on the first date? Is Applebees or The Cheesecake Factory an appropriate date spot? How long should the talking stage last? Soft launch or hard launch your partner on social media? Is body count important? How many followers should a man have on social media? Is it feminine for a man to-”[GUNSHOT!]. Who gives a shit?
I’m only 22, but I’ve done my fair share of dating, so far. Whether it’s from meeting people organically, on social media, through dating apps, or mutual friends — it’s all terrible, guys!
Part of me feels like society is struggling to navigate what dating looks like — between men and women specifically — now that women have more autonomy and control over their own lives. Another part of me feels like social media adds a new layer to dating that never existed before, adding to the chaos of the ever-evolving dating scene.
This doesn’t mean I haven’t been on some great dates — I have. I’ve also been on some really shitty ones.
I’m a hopeless romantic. I’m not completely jaded yet. I still feel like there’s a chance to find love somewhere under the layers of bullshit. I give everyone I date a blank slate and I try not to let the wrongdoings of past partners dictate how I operate with new ones.
I’ve found that these days, you need to go into every interaction with established boundaries, solid intentions, and zero expectations. Don’t expect every Hinge date to lead to a boyfriend. Don’t envision a life with the person who told you your features would look great together on your future children’s faces. Don’t even go into a first date expecting a second. Once you eliminate any expectations, you won’t find the dating process so exhausting.
This can be difficult when you’re trying to date with intention, but make your decision about whether you want to move forward with a person before creating a version of someone in your head that doesn’t exist.
After my most recent failed talking stage, I sat down and thought about what a shitshow my dating life is.
This is how “Dating Sucks!” came to be. A publication all about how twisted the current dating scene is and how people are surviving it. Hopefully, through writing (and therapy) I can make sense of whatever the hell is going on.
Plus, everyone finds my dating life to be pretty comical.
