Why IS dating so difficult now?

Being that I'm only 22, I find that there's a serious problem with dating; that's got to mean something right? But, hopefully, I'm not the only one in this world that finds swiping on Tinder monotonous. Maybe I'm considered an Old Soul, but I feel as though dating is bland nowadays. You've probably read this before, but what happened to the times where dating was about studying the personality of someone you would find attractive?

This is the way I pictured dating "back in the days."

A close friend of mine would invite me to some house party that was going on down the street. This is in a world where no one's on their cell phone trying to see if their latest post made 20 likes. Cell phones didn't exist, everyone was in the moment, taking in the atmosphere and really digging each other's vibes. I don't know anyone at the party so my friend tries to introduce me.

My friend is essentially the Tinder in this situation, telling everyone a little bit about me; what I like, what's my personality like, and my name (of course). I then look across the crowd of people to see the one. She's laughing with her friends, being outgoing, and enjoying the party. I would make my way through and try to strike up a conversation. Either she digs me, or she doesn't. If she does then we'd go on casual dates at the local diner; discussing the theories of life, our ambitions all while drinking vanilla milkshakes. Or, she doesn't like me and I don't get to take her to the Sadie Hawkins dance that's happening next week (aw shucks).

There's a ton of reasons to consider as to why I feel some type of way about modern dating.

Internet dating is "almost" anonymous.

It's not fully anonymous because there's a profile, with a picture and a bio attached to it. Most Internet dating sites such as Tinder, OkCupid, and Bumble are location based; so I'm likely to get profiles that are in my area. There's some information attached to these that gives me an idea about who I'm swiping right on, but there's still a chance.

This chance being that the person behind the screen might be totally different from what they want to display. Maybe there's the actual person being real about who they are, or maybe I'm being catfished. By the way, I'm still off-put by the phrase, getting Catfished. I don't like to associate fake internet profiles with something that's really good if you ever go to Dallas, Texas.

The idea of having to talk to someone that you like is scary, and it can be a difficult task. But finding that "special someone" you can enjoy spending time with shouldn't be an easy thing to do. It should be like a fight to the death type situation where; you both are given weapons and you duel it out. Whoever wins gets the loser's heart, literally. Like, you cut the heart out of the other person and you eat it in order to absorb their essence and gain more power. Seriously, though, dating shouldn't be a walk in the park.

Maybe I'm shopping for groceries at Wholefoods and I'm about to grab a pound of Honey Crips Apples; when all of a sudden I accidentally grab the hand of someone else who's ALSO going for the same apples. We look at each other, and next thing I know it's the morning of the day after; I'm on my bed, there's my significant other along with a ton of apple cores spread all over us. I mean, Hey anything's possible.

Is my profile good enough?

Being on Tinder for a while now (about a year and a half) I've tried different poses, objects to take pictures with, and different styles of pictures; here's what I noticed. If you're trying to get someone to swipe right on your profile; you're going to need an animal.

I don't have any pets, but luckily (and don't tell my neighbors) I've snagged a couple of pictures of myself with their cute dogs. I posted a picture of myself with a puppy and I got four matches the following day. It makes sense, though, people love cute things, so if you post something cute on your profile then you're more likely to get a match.

People also love to see others being adventurous. Being outdoors, or doing something active will attract attention. It means that you're more than just a couch buddy; trying to binge on another TV show. Netflix and Chill was 2015; now it's Get Active and Do something 2017.

Honestly, how awesome does that sound, though? Get Active and Do Something 2017 sounds like I'm looking for someone that's actually progressing with their life. Not just another lame attempt at trying to make small talk and get some action while we watch Mulan. Have I ever mentioned that "To be a man" from Mulan is the best song ever? When the song comes on during the Netflix and Chill sesh I'll look over and I'll sing along, "Let's get down to business!"

Mom, Dad, I apologize if you're reading this. You now know my go-to for 2015-2016.

The Internet has made me socially awkward.

Everything I'll ever need is all on the Internet. I can get my entertainment, news, and my entertaining news all in a couple of clicks. This means that, if everything I've ever wanted was at my fingertips; then why would I need to socialize with others in order to hear about what's going on in the world?

If I wanted to discuss theories, I can just talk about them on Reddit, or if I wanted to discuss why dating is so tough I could find others online that would agree with me. The point is, why go outside when my laptop is two feet away from me and my room is at that perfect temperature where I might want a blanket, but it's not needed?

This means that, whenever I do get the chance to socialize with other human beings; I don't have the skills of physical communication. I have to pay attention to my body language, my tone of voice; there are so many variables in play that sometimes it just makes me anxious. Ultimately, making me want to go home and binge watch some Game of Thrones; Hello Khaleesi.

Game of Thrones aside.

Internet dating is tough, but with a little bit of practice, it can be mastered. These are just some issues that come to my mind when I think about dating. Maybe there's someone out there wondering the same thing; if so, then here's some clarity. It's not you, this culture is a weird one at that, but that does not mean that it cannot be fully understood.