Dating Through The Decades

It may be hard to imagine, but the concept of dating has not been around for very long. This article will go through the history of dating in Western society starting from its recent beginning to what dating is like today. Hopefully you'll understand a little better what it was like to be a teenager for your parents and grandparents.




Before the 20th century dating did not exist. You might have heard about people "courting" in historical movies or books. The difference between courting and dating is that courting is specifically to get someone to marry you, while dating is to get to know a person better.

Year 1920-1945

It was around this time that adolescence (teenage-years) started to become recognized as a stage in human life with its own culture. Dating became part of that culture. It's from this period that we get the term "going out" because it meant precisely that -- leaving home and going out. Going out usually meant going dancing or going to the movies, and this required money. Often it was the guys who could afford nicer things who would succeed over those who could not.

The Great Depression and World War II put a damper on dating, basically putting it on hold until the end of the war.

Year 1945-1960



After the war, dating and marriage started to happen earlier. Dating would begin in junior high, and most people would get married between the age of 20 and 22.

In junior high, teens would meet in groups and partner off. Once you found someone you really liked you would start to "go steady". Going steady meant calling each other regularly, going on dates every week and exchanging love tokens, such as class rings or school pins.

 

 
Year 1960-2000


The role of women saw a huge change in the 1960's. The feminist movement gave women the sense of empowerment that they could be much more than just a wife. The invention of oral contraceptives (the Pill) and more widely available contraceptives led to more liberal views of pre-marital sex and made sex a more important part of relationships.

In the late 60s the first dating shows popped up on TV, helping singles find someone outside their usual social circle.

Year 2000-Present

Today we live in a global technological age. Dating is still very present in our lives, but it has changed thanks to modern technology. The world of online dating expanded our search for "the One" to the entire world. Now many relationships begin online without a face-to-face encounter, and nothing is ever official until it is proclaimed to the world on Facebook.

Technology has also made it much easier for people to maintain long-distance relationship. Expensive phone bills are not necessary when you can chat with your partner online or even talk to them with a VOIP service like Skype. You can even see them with a webcam! If you live in different time zones, you can always send an e-mail instead of waking your loved one up in the middle of the night with a phone call.

Another new trend is speed dating. Speed dating is a quick way to find someone. These are organized nights where you have several short mini-dates, and once you've talked to everyone, you choose who you would like to get to know better.

We have all these conveniences available to us today, and yet dating doesn't get any easier. Regardless of what decade you go through your teenage years, heartache and heartbreak remain the same.

How To End Your Summer Fling

With summer winding down, it's time to start thinking about how to properly end your summer fling. While you both went into the situation knowing that the relationship would only last through the summer, it still isn't easy to end a relationship with someone you have grown to care about. Keep reading to find out our tips on how to successfully end your summer fling with as little drama as possible.


Pick an appropriate time.


Just because it's a summer fling doesn't mean you can be casual about ending your relationship. Ending your relationship at an appropriate time can make the experience a lot better for everyone involved. Don't wait until your significant other's (SO) cat has died or you see your SO out in public with tons of friends to break up. Instead, pick a time that's sensitive to your SO's schedule such a day when you know that he or she doesn't have much happening.

Find a neutral meeting place.

Before you decide where you break up, think about how your future ex will respond. If you think your SO will make a scene, you might want to pick a public place so both of you have to keep your emotions in check. If you think your SO will handle the situation well, then pick a more private setting so you can talk about the situation. Regardless of where you decide to meet, pick a place that's a neutral meeting ground. Don't go somewhere that's always been your SO's favorite hangout or a place that you've been going to for years. By picking a neutral spot, you avoid a home-field-advantage situation which makes the situation easier for both of you.

Do it in person.

There's no reason to not break up with your SO in person. If you break up via email, text or phone, you end up looking like you never cared about the person to begin with (and really, who wants to make someone feel that way?). Instead, set up a time to meet up with your SO in person so you can talk about the situation. While it may hurt to face the other person, you can commend yourself on not taking the easy way up. Every breakup deserves just as much respect as the relationship, so take the time to talk to your future ex face-to-face.


Stick to the facts.
 Breaking up is never easy, so don't make the situation more difficult by bringing up things that aren't important. Even if you still have suspicions that your SO cheated while he or she was away at summer camp, now isn't the time to talk about it. Let your SO know that while you had fun in the relationship, it's time to make the best decision for both of you by moving on. By avoiding the small arguments over things that did or didn't happen, you end up looking like a better person in the situation and you help make the breakup go more smoothly.




We never said that breaking up would be easy, but if you use our suggestions you can get through your breakup successfully.