By Staff Editorial
Student Relationships have steered away from their traditional past
We’ve all seen it before— the PDA in the halls, the changed Facebook relationship statuses and the cute Instagram pictures. Although dating at UAHS is still relevant, the practices of dating have steered away from the traditional ways of our parents’ generation.
Remember the old days when men were chivalrous and women were courted? When going on a date meant dressing up and going out for dinner and a movie and when conversations either happened face-to-face or in a phone call rather than a measly text message? Yeah, that era is long gone in 2013, but it’s not too late to bring those values back. Since our parents’ generation, dating has vastly transformed—some aspects for the better, but some for the worst.
Nowadays, it’s common to hear teenagers coin the terms “thing” or “hook-up” when describing their relationships. Rather than go on a typical date, romantic or perhaps not, teens opt for a more “friends with benefits” or “no strings attached” deal. These situations allow for two people to fool around, however, with a complete lack of commitment. This may sound like a simple solution to not wanting to be tied down, but we’ve all seen the movies When Harry Met Sally, Friends with Benefits and No Strings Attached— it never ends as originally planned.
Let’s say two good friends somehow come to the decision to start messing around. It’s all fun and games at first— both people came to the consensus and it’s not like fooling around actually means anything, right?
Yeah, sure, but not for long. At some point, one person is more than likely to interpret the relationship differently that the other. And chances are, someone is going to get hurt and there will be a fallout, regardless of the so-called pact made between the two friends to “prevent” such a situation.
When did “Hey, want to come over? No one is home” replace “Let’s go hang out together.” ? The standards for relationships have significantly lowered and have been replaced with physical attraction. Getting intimate happened a lot later in the relationship than it does currently. Now, it’s shocking to hear that a couple didn’t kiss on the very first date.
Coming from a primarily female staff, we would like to see more guys bringing back these traditional norms. We aren’t asking for much— holding a door, paying for dinner once or twice or perhaps bringing us soup when we’re sick, even though we said you didn’t have to.