Dear parents, and basically anyone else who is currently between the ages of twenty three and one hundred.
"Dating" in today's society is complicated. It is not as simple as you would think. It should be as easy as if you like someone you ask them out, you're together for a while and if those feelings continue to grow you eventually get married and start a happy family. However, thanks to my naive generation, easy is impossible!
First, you start as friends. Now this part is about as simple as it's going to get. It is also very self explanatory. You hangout a few times, but usually with a group of people so that it's not "awkward" and you definitely do not go out alone together yet or people will assume you are a couple. This is all a part of the getting to know each other stage, this is just the first half of it. In this stage you are also allowed to talk to other people, as long as it is clear to the other person that you are JUST FRIENDS. However, you may be just friends yet other people will assume there is more going on. There is not.
In the second stage of the "Dating Process", you talk. Obviously you speak to one another, but now you are "talking" meaning you can only be talking to that person. That includes no flirting, texting, Snapchatting, hanging out with, or being suspicious with any other female. Once again, even if you are just friends with someone, others would assume otherwise. Also in the talking stage, you begin to hangout alone rather than always in a group. The most important part of this stage is that you acknowledge your feelings for one another.
The third stage of this process is the last and final stage before dating. This is called being a thing. I know the name is confusing but I didn't make it up. Another name to make this a little more understanding to everyone who is not a part of this perplexing generation, is the trial stage. You are testing whether or not the relationship will work. You show the other person if you can truly be committed and loyal. You are exclusive.
If all the beginning stages go well, and you have an abundant amount of feelings for one another (and only that other person) you begin to date. This is when you become official. Now luckily, this falls under the same definition of dating as you know it. That includes, dates, flirting, the usual.
So here's how a conversation would go between two teenagers today:
"Let's be friends, just friends. I'm not ready for a relationship but I expect you to do things with me considered inappropriate in terms of a friendship. We're not together, you can't claim me, you can't be with anyone but me. I need you to be loyal but I'll do what I want and when you get mad, I'll just tell you were not together. If you catch feelings, I'll become distant. You knew what this was... I told you, I'm not ready for a relationship."
It's confusing right?
