Make Yourself the Bachelorette
design: Finley Banks
A guide to casual dating.
by MIA ROSENZWEIG ★ JULY 14, 2024
To put it bluntly, modern dating sucks! Dating in 2024 consists of half face pictures on Snapchat once a day, random story likes and “wyd” texts in the middle of the night. Like many others, I tuned in to Bachelor Nation every Monday. At first I thought, “How does Joey (the Bachelor) meet so many women at the same time, and is this ethical?” For the longest time I defined dating as a serious long term commitment. Recently I discovered dating can also be casual (as long as both parties agree, obviously). You do not have to go on dates with the intention of pursuing a long-term committed relationship.
Is casual dating ethical? Like any relationship in your life, whether it’s friends, family or partners, it’s important to set boundaries. It allows both people to make sure they’re on the same page and are happy with the expectations of the relationship. Transparency allows for both parties to acknowledge and accept the nature of the relationship. It’s completely okay to not have traditional dating objectives and goals! However, it’s completely unfair to give people false hope for a relationship that you don’t want. Leading people on is not okay!
Casual dating is a win-win! At worst, you didn’t enjoy the date and you have a funny story to tell friends. At best, you make a nice connection you can explore! Going on multiple dates has many benefits. Experimenting allows you to discover likes and dislikes in partners.
Another benefit of casual dating is that it’s low commitment! You don’t owe anything to the person you’re on a date with. You are not obliged to do anything you don’t want. If you’re uncomfortable, you can leave and if you don’t want to continue talking with them, you don’t have to! You have complete freedom over your decisions! Casual dating allows you to customize your own experience. We can choose how many people we want to date at a time, if you want to engage in physical intimacy, and how often you want to see the person.
A big misconception that usually turns people off is that casual dating = casual sex. A date is simply two people interested in each other and exploring if they have a connection! A date can be as simple as going on a walk or grabbing coffee. If you enjoyed going on a walk and grabbing coffee, then you have the choice if you want to see them again.
An important thing to keep in mind is to be careful on dating apps! People can lie about their name, age, occupation and even what they look like. An extra step of safety I recommend to everyone is asking for other socials or asking to FaceTime to verify their identity. If you decide to meet up with someone you’ve met online, meet up in public! So if you feel uncomfortable and want to leave you can slip out easily! I also highly recommend sharing your location with family and friends so that they know where you are!
Ultimately, don’t forget that casual dating isn’t for everyone. putting yourself out there and meeting new people can be scary. However, it can also result in finding a long term partner, a new friend or simply gaining a fun experience. After all, at the end of every date you’re one step closer to finding the one for you! Remember that casual dating isn’t for everyone . Even if it doesn’t align with your values, you shouldn’t judge others preferences. Dating should always be fun, only do what you’re comfortable with!