Millennials And Gen-Z: Tell Us The Dating Habits From Older Generations That Used To Be A Standard But No Longer Exist
Two unsuspecting strangers bump into each other, causing one of them to drop a stack of important documents. As they both rush to pick up the papers, their fingers lightly brush. Their eyes lock. Time slows down. A string quartet begins to play in the distance. You know what I'm talking about here: It's the classic meet-cute! And I'm so sorry to say this, but a more likely interaction in today's society would be bumping into someone, dropping your things, and automatically shouting, "Watch where the fuck you're going! Don't touch my stuff!"
Seriously, though — I can't think of one person who has met their partner through an old-school meet-cute. It's seems like a thing of the past, because every recent wedding I've attended was brought to life courtesy of online dating apps. Times have changed when it comes to just meeting someone dateable, and there are wayyy more changes if we're talkin' actual dating.
People aren't going on first dates, sipping a milkshake with two straws one day, and then "going steady" the next. Now, the beginning stages of dating consists of fighting for your life to escape the trenches of the dreaded "talking phase."
Another dating habit that's been phased out (and thankfully) is the "three-day rule" before making contact. If I get home from a date with someone and they don't watch my Instagram story for three full days, my very spirit will vanish into a cloud of anxiety. Everyone is on their phones 24/7, so maybe back in the day it made more sense to keep some distance entirely based on availability of a phone, but that's just not the case anymore.
So, I turn to you, the millenials and Gen Z'ers of the BuzzFeed Community. What are your thoughts? Are there any dating practices that used to be standard according to our elders but have since been totally phased out?
Maybe it's the whole "getting picked up at your house" thing? Are you more comfortable with meeting at the restaurant because you kiiinda don't know if it's safe for this person to know where you sleep just yet?
Or maybe what used to be an "off limits" topic is now a required piece of information before even considering dating a person? Things like religion and politics used to be considered taboo to discuss on a first date, but now they have their own section on every dating app profile so you know right away if your beliefs align. I need to know if I'm in immediate danger of going on a date with someone who will show up wearing a MAGA hat.
