“Diary Entry: 8/14/24 – Dating“

I went through a breakup a few weeks ago and am now talking with someone new, but that’s not the topic of the day. It is just the catalyst for why I have been thinking about dating, my relationship with dating, and how I forged my guidelines.

I only had a few sources for dating. I don’t have parental guidance. They thought I would skip dating and jump into marriage like they did. I am in the generation to not be married off by my family. I thought dating was like what I saw in early sitcoms. So, I relied on sitcoms and prepared to face the trials and tribulations I watched. I was ready for miscommunication; I knew to side with friends if they didn’t like your partner because you should build a trusting friend group before dating anyway. I even believe that 30 is the cut-off age for love.

I don’t know when I stopped believing in the 30-year cut-off; I forgot about the 30-year rule before I realized I didn’t believe in it. To put a period on it, it was somewhere around my first heartbreak and big girl job. Each year, I learned how short life is and how taxing it is to survive. It goes to show sitcoms should be taken with a grain of salt.

I have learned more from doing than anything. After almost a decade of dating, I am learning new ways to go about it and, more so, what I want. The shocking thing I discovered while dating is my relaxation. As the years go on, all I want to do is continue to have fun making my own path.