Dating isn’t dead

JAMIE EDDY | FEATURE EDITOR | THE USD VISTA

I’m going out on a limb this week about a recent date I went on. Let me just start by saying, it was awesome.

Turns out, dating is not dead. For those of you who think guys don’t want to take girls on dates, cook dinner together, and simply hang out and talk, you are very much mistaken. However, if I’ve learned anything from dating and trying to get someone’s attention, it is to just go for it. You will never know unless you try.

Ethan*, a tall, well dressed, brunette, immediately caught my eye. Oh, and he was wearing high top, old skool vans. For those of you who know me, good sneakers are a major plus. He was perfectly stacking green apples in Trader Joe’s while I was trying my best not to look flustered and knock over his hard work.

I’m going to refrain from heavy detail, but we conversed for a bit, introduced ourselves, made strange but refreshingly clever fruit related remarks, and finally I asked for his number.

Ethan and I exchanged a few text messages over the next couple of days. One day while stepping off the tram, he called me. I am an advocate for phone calls, especially when it comes to dating. You have less time to think of something ‘cute’ to say and more time to be quick witted, humorous, and gauge how the other person is thinking.

The following Thursday he invited me to make dinner at his house. I was apprehensive at first about meeting at his home, but I made sure to tell my roommates where I was going and that I would send an ‘I’m alive and thriving’ text.

We made homemade guacamole, sautéed a variety of vegetables, he made chicken while I whipped up some tofu, and since both of us are over 21, we cracked open a couple beers.

The conversation was easy, comfortable, humorous, and light. I grew more curious about him as the dialogue continued and we both were genuinely interested in what the other person had to say.

After a few hours of hanging out, I told him I had to get some shuteye. We did that slightly awkward hug goodbye unsure about whether to kiss one another and ended up sticking with the hug.

Overall, the date was a success. No matter what, our age group is meant to date, experiment, and figure out what we look for in a partther and this is the exact time to do so. Don’t be afraid, but most definitely be yourself.

*name has been changed to protect privacy