Working night shift and dating is like being in a crowd of people that you don't know.

I have worked night shift for two years now. I have inverted my sleep schedule to the point where I can easily manage staying up for 24 hours straight, unless of course it was a rough night at work. But how can you be nocturnal and date?

So in June of 2016, shortly after I graduated high school, I took a full time 40 hour a week night shift, working in a locked dementia unit. I was dating a person who seemed to be a fit, but two months in, and many sleepless days, I woke up to a voicemail telling me we were no longer.

So from September of 2016 through to about January of 2017, I was in a cycle. Work, sleep, maybe eat, shower, and then head back to work. Obviously this sounds like a typical cycle, but I had a dug myself a rut. I didn't go and see my friends, I didn't have any interest in anything. I accepted my second full time night job, but on an orthopedic unit, at a major trauma center in Boston.

During September to roughly December of 2017, all I did was work. That cycle consumed my every minute. I would sleep 24 hours straight on my day off, and go days without food. I probably should make it known that I also was suffering from depression at the time which made that cycle so much easier to fall in to. I had no purpose.

So in January of 2017 I decided to join tinder. I figured I'd be in Boston all of the time now, there must be someone willing to date a nocturnal nursing assistant, Right?

Well a few matches here, and a few strange people there, was all I had until September of 2017. I was just swiping along, and suddenly this person came along, and we started just chatting about being in drum line, how I own my own marimba (feel free to take a moment to do a google), and about life in general. We went on our first date to Starbucks and that's how I ended up dating a mechanical engineering student.

So how does this have to do with working night shift, and the struggles of dating?

Well, there is not as much time in the day when you sleep it away. Working night shift is for people who have already settled down, who are ready for children. Working night shift means there aren't any nights out, or waking up at 8 am to that person's smile. It's a hug and a kiss before walking in to work, It's a "goodnight my love" text, it's days of wanting to sleep in his arms, but instead, you fall asleep in his arms, and wake up holding a pillow.

Night shift is difficult, it's like a long distance relationship, except your partner is awake, and trying to get you to sleep. Add dating to night shift, and you have commitment.