Dating Then And Now*

*This is a collaborative post*

Dating In The Old Days

Oh how dating has changed. Once upon a time there was no such thing as mobile phones, Twitter, Facebook or online dating. Dates were arranged the old fashioned way. A guy would have to pluck up the courage to ask a girl for her number. He'd then have to further brave picking up the phone to dial her landline. If he was lucky then the girl would answer and not her parents. Come date night, it was expected that he'd turn up at the girl's house, complete with a beautiful bunch of flowers. He'd behave like a true gentleman and would certainly not make a move until several dates in. Sex on a first date was practically unheard of and there was no such thing as a quick text to check in. Conversation would be either in person, on the phone or via letter.

Modern Day Dating

These days things are so very different. Technology has come a long way for starters. Mobile phones and the internet are commonplace in every house. Texting has paved way for 'lazy' chit chat where slang, emojis and abbreviation have become the norm. Does anyone even use a landline anymore? No longer do you need to pick up the phone to make conversation to get to know someone. With many of us now on social media, a potential taker can find out much of what he or she needs to know by simply stalking an Instagram feed. It's also now the norm for a girl to approach a guy she likes. And furthermore, if she wants to make a move on the first date then no-one's going to stop her.

The World Of Online Dating

There are of course many perks to modern day dating. Free dating sites for instance are a great way to build your confidence as you chat to potential takers. For those of you who are especially shy normally or who hate approaching men, you can take comfort from the fact that it's just you and your computer. You don't need to pluck up too much courage to send a simple introduction message. And so what if you get knocked back! There's plenty more fish in the sea so whilst you're hiding behind the safety of your laptop, go dip your toe in the water! You've nothing to lose except some of your free time.

Indeed it would seem that many singletons are in fact using dating websites. I've actually spoken to friends who use both free and paid for platforms, purely to see what their thoughts were on each. To my surprise they said that the same individuals popped up on both types of website which leads me to the question, why should we pay for dating apps if this is the case? It also begs the question, are we set to see the demise of paid for dating sites now that there are newer and free dating websites launching all the time? I guess only time will tell.

*Photo via Pexels