Now I've already talked about my personal experiences and observation of high school relationships, but I don’t think I hit the nail on the head enough before. I feel as though the overwhelming pressure to date will become our demise. We have become more reliant on saying we have someone than self respect. This is in no way an attack, but more so a letter of concern.
Oftentimes, high school relationships don’t make it past the one year mark. Granted, this is when people change the most so people can drift apart, but I believe it’s mainly due to a lack of self understanding. A lot of boys I know are quick to try to get to know a girl before getting to know themselves. They become absorbed in the whole “I can have any girl I want” mentality to the point it becomes difficult to distinguish any actual personality from a facade. They can't be the only ones to blame, though. Sadly a lot of girls experience the same mindset, but for entirely different reasons.
Though I can’t personally say I’ve had an eventful love life during the last three years of my life, it’s not hard to distinguish how boy/girl crazy everyone is. I can’t be a hypocrite;it's not uncommon to have a little hallway crush here and there. However, it's scary to watch the goal post change from getting a 4.0 to dating anyone that we see. It’s something you can’t escape at this point, it’s almost impossible to avoid. You begin to feel behind as if you haven't been on earth for a shorter amount of time than some of your favorite movies. We get pretty warped into the idea until we step back and realize it's not anything to miss out on.
A lot of people argue that a lack of dating in younger years can lead to failed relationships due to inexperience. In reality, I feel like I would want to date more when my frontal lobe is developed as opposed to when I finally figure out what a frontal lobe is. We’re less prone to make illogical mistakes that could have been easily avoided. I’m sure there is a lesson in making these mistakes, but considering all the media we consume, it's fair to assume we have enough perspectives and stories to avoid going about things the wrong way. Miscommunication tropes, love triangles, love at first sight, second chance, etc. A whole lotta situations that we see in every book or film possible.
Though I can’t personally say I’ve had an eventful love life during the last three years of my life, it’s not hard to distinguish how boy/girl crazy everyone is. I can’t be a hypocrite;it's not uncommon to have a little hallway crush here and there. However, it's scary to watch the goal post change from getting a 4.0 to dating anyone that we see. It’s something you can’t escape at this point, it’s almost impossible to avoid. You begin to feel behind as if you haven't been on earth for a shorter amount of time than some of your favorite movies. We get pretty warped into the idea until we step back and realize it's not anything to miss out on.
A lot of people argue that a lack of dating in younger years can lead to failed relationships due to inexperience. In reality, I feel like I would want to date more when my frontal lobe is developed as opposed to when I finally figure out what a frontal lobe is. We’re less prone to make illogical mistakes that could have been easily avoided. I’m sure there is a lesson in making these mistakes, but considering all the media we consume, it's fair to assume we have enough perspectives and stories to avoid going about things the wrong way. Miscommunication tropes, love triangles, love at first sight, second chance, etc. A whole lotta situations that we see in every book or film possible.
I'm not saying it's wrong to date during your teen years; in fact, I encourage it. But I don't want everyone to start thinking about compatibility as opposed to social stability. A relationship can’t last based on attachment issues, just as one can’t be lost with a little bit of critical thinking. I want the new age adults to be able to avoid so many of the issues we've seen in relationships that trickle into other aspects of life: emotional abuse that can destroy someone’s psyche in the long run. Think before you kiss, and talk before you get ready to say “I do.”
