Is It Worth It?

 Dating again and again and again

    I’ve been told love is the greatest medicine. I’ve also been told that medicine is poison in small doses, so I’m not so sure about that prescription.

    Relationships plague social media and unfortunately just about any public space due to those couples that are a little too proud of their love for one another. I myself just ended a relationship, and it’s certainly made me ask myself if it’s even worth it. Did I enjoy the relationship? Yes. Am I happy afterwards? Nope. I decided while writing this that I shouldn’t cloud my judgement, so I asked a bunch of people at my school, dating or not, if it’s truly worth it. They’ve convinced me; they are worth it. 

    First and foremost, dating leads to meeting new people, and with that, improved social skills. When I was just a couple years younger, I couldn’t ask people out for the life of me. Had a crush for years, tried every Sunday to ask her out, but I couldn’t. Now, I ask out plenty of people and it gets easier every time. Isabel is maybe the most social person I’ve ever met, to a scary degree. She will walk up to any stranger in public without a hint of anxiety, and not-so-coincidentally she’s been on more dates than Gen Alphas have lived days. To improve socially, go on a few dates!

    Moreover, dating forces you to be authentic, even if you don’t know what your authentic self is. When you’re in a relationship with someone you really like, your true self just seeps out. You’re comfortable, and you trust them, so you break down your little walls. Kaléna says relationships have helped her figure out her preferences and boundaries, all the while finding people she clicks with, where they bounce ideas off each other and amplify their authentic selves. To be oneself is to be vulnerable in a judgmental world, a path easy to follow with a person who loves you for you.

    Furthermore, dating teaches you maturity and emotional intelligence. Without clear communication, boundaries and preferences can’t be fulfilled. Petty grievances can build quickly in such an intimate environment and they need to be resolved by people who are actively listening to each other. Maya tells me there needs to be mutual respect and understanding between two people, something hard to achieve for emotionally immature people. Relationships teach us to grow up.

    Finally, dating has one universal perk that I got as an answer from every couple: to love and be loved. It’s what the movies tell us it’s all about, after all. Anonymous dater says “I’m here for them and they’re here for me.” Caro says Émilie “brings the best out of me”, and Émilie says Caro “makes me happy”. Emmerson “gives [Cédric] energy” and Cédric is “just [her] person”. Aww. Shut up. Okay fine, relationships do have a lot of love being passed around.

    To conclude, dating does indeed improve social skills, helps you be your authentic self, emotionally matures you and lets you give and receive love. It seems I’ve been convinced by my interviewees that dating is indeed worth it, though their answers have definitely made me feel just a tad bit lonelier. I won’t be when I date again!