Single by choice, just not my choice.
I once saw this phrase and thought, “Wow, that’s the story of my dating life.” When I was in college, I started to go on dates. It was so easy to meet people at a state school that there was no need for dating apps. I chose a predominantly female field to major in, so I met men through clubs on campus, frat parties, and bars. Dates then consisted of going to dinner, the movies, or the classic “Netflix and chill.” Although I dipped my foot into the dating pool, I ultimately realized I enjoyed living the single life in college and did not pursue any relationships.
I then moved to Boston and met a few people out in the city, typically at a bar. They would offer to buy me a drink, we would exchange numbers, and then set up a date for another time. These mostly went nowhere, so I was actively using dating apps as well. The big difference between the two, is if we met organically then there was an initial attraction. Dating apps have the unfortunate first meet where you can immediately be unattracted to someone by their height, voice, mannerisms, laugh, rudeness to waiters, or other qualities not apparent in a few Hinge photos or question prompts.
After COVID, the dating scene changed for the worse. Everyone sat at tables with their friends that they hadn’t seen in months. A group of hot guys could have been sitting six feet apart from a party of single ladies; but no one was focused on mingling, it was just exciting to be out at a restaurant! The bars were closed and you had to order food everywhere you sat down (cue the weight gain). This is when the apps took over my dating life.
I’ve gone on a lot of dates, but even more bad dates, so my friends suggested I write down my dating horror stories. I’ve deleted the redownloaded the apps so many times that I can’t remember names, ages, or occupations of many of these men. I am testing my recollection and getting input from friends at times to jog my memory. I am by no means a writer, but I hope you enjoy reading my stories, and hopefully your dating life is better than mine!
Single at 30 