I am sure everyone has heard their parents tell stories about "the good old days". They begin by telling us how different everything was when they were young, and how this generation is letting them down. Let's be honest, most of the time we are not paying attention to what they are saying, but once they tell an interesting story, we are all ears. I am sure the most common story you have heard from your parents is how dating has changed. This topic grabs our attention because our generation has quite frankly made dating annoying, vulgar, and a pain in the ass.

When you think about it, dating has changed drastically. Even those who were born in the 90's have witnessed these changes. Dating was an important step in a couple's relationship during our parent's generation. Now, dating appears to be meaningless, or a waste of time. Most relationships do not last long, and the person we have grown to care about usually has bad intentions.

It starts with what dating truly means to us. During our parent's generation, dating was a serious step in a couple's relationship. It meant that the people involved were in love with one another, and they were committed to one person. Our generation has different feelings in regards to dating. For some, dating is a time when a couple gets to know one another. They want to see if there is something more between them that is worth investing time into. This take on dating is not bad at all. It is important to get to know who you are with, and not to rush things. However, only a few people seem to feel this way about dating. A majority of our generation does not take dating seriously at all. There is little commitment, loyalty, or love involved. Cheating has become the "cool" thing to do while dating, and having 20 to 40 other guys or girls in your inbox is praiseworthy. Our generation lacks respect, and it is clear when it comes to relationships.

We are not the only ones who impact our relationships, though. Social media has influenced how our generation sees dating, and what "goals" we should set. During our parent's generation, the guy would court a girl before asking her out. He would also ask her parents for permission, and take her out on an actual date. You know, the kind of date that involves dinner and a movie, not Netflix and chill. However, our generation has managed to ruin the best parts of dating. Social media now controls how we date, and the type of person we should be looking for. These "relationship goals" usually portray the perfect woman as having a big butt, revealing clothes, tons of makeup, and wanting to lay in bed with a guy all day. There is no mention of her being educated, ambitious, or having a legitimate job! The same goes for men. Men are portrayed as muscular, sexy, and willing to chill with you all day. Once again, there is no mention of his education, his work ethic, or his true personality! We have literally allowed social media to pick the shittiest relationships for us because we are not capable of being real and true to ourselves.

While times have changed drastically, we have lost the best parts of dating along the way. I do agree that dating should mostly involve getting to know the person you are interested in. However, we have lost respect for the person we supposedly care about in our relationships. Our generation of dating is truly disgusting. Cheating on your significant other, or talking to multiple people does not make you a bad ass female, or a desired man. Instead, you are considered pathetic, immature, and repulsive. As for social media having a major impact on dating, our phones are not a part of us. These "relationship goals" set us up for failure and highlight the worst features of a future partner. "Relationship goals" do not exist, but desire does. What you should want in a partner is someone who makes you extremely happy, someone who works hard, and someone who is willing to explore endless possibilities with you. Our generation is currently failing when it comes to dating. Let's change that.