The world of dating has always been a mystery to me. As a child, I didn't know what defined 'boyfriend material' in a guy. If he invited me to play tag with him, or shared some of his cosmic brownie with me at lunch, I was practically in love. Things have changed drastically since then. Now, instead of talking to me in person, guys head straight for Snapchat or send me a direct message on Instagram, in hopes of getting something I refuse to give away. I've always wondered what dating was like before the digital age, and I've come to realize that things have changed, and not necessarily for the better.
1. In the 1800's, the young man and woman were always supervised by either her mother or brothers in the young woman's home when they wanted to see each other. Of course, the precious minutes Mom wasn't around were taken full advantage of.
2. In the Victorian Era, a woman was only allowed to accept four gifts from a gentleman. These gifts were flowers, books, sheet music, and confectionery. A man who offers a woman a lavish gift is seen as bribing her for affection. I guess having a sugar daddy wouldn't fly with that crowd.
3. Victorian couples who went through the courtship process always got married, and never divorced, because it would ruin a woman's reputation. Of course, now the divorce rate has increased to 50%, which probably causes Victorians to roll over in their graves.
4. A 1930's dating guide warned women to dial down the PDA and not caress their date in public, because it's not only embarrassing for him but awkward for everyone else around you. Although, a little PDA never hurt anyone.
5. Don't forget a bra, like ever. Women were warned to be fully dressed and ready before their date arrives, because being late is not a good look.
6. A third tip from the 1930's dating guide is to refrain from drinking, because a man expects a lady to act dignified. Technically no one was supposed to be drinking at all during that time, but rules are meant to be broken, aren't they?
7. Fast forwarding to 1950, a man was now expected to use heaps of flattery to woo a woman, and thus pickup lines were born. I don't know about anyone else, but half the time instead of feeling flattered, I feel awkward because I don't know how to respond.
8. No kissing on the first date. No anything on the first date. Theoretically nothing should be done until marriage. There were actually community groups created to stop couples from doing anything 'scandalous.' Talk about a buzzkill.
9. Parental approval was extremely important in the 1950's. If your parents don't approve of who you're going 'steady' with, any shot of a future with them is gone. Parents are pretty spot on when it comes to judging character, so that's one rule I gladly adhere to today.
10. Traveling forward to the 1970's, dating was becoming very casual. Dates ranged from local restaurants to simply playing cards with friends, the total opposite of the expensive dates couples go on today.
11. The two ways a woman could contact a man was either through a telephone call or in person. Personally, I'm awful when it comes to calling people, but I would rather be with my significant other in person any day over just texting him, which is what a lot of relationships are consumed by today.
12. In the 90's, a girl (or guy) might use a cute, handwritten note to discover if their crush likes them back. Of course, its quite embarrassing if they didn't. But if they did, the little happy dance you did in your seat just says it all.
13. Breakups were clean and in person. It was impossible to stalk you ex on social media because there was none, so awkwardly running into them was the only way you'd see them again. Everyone just simply moves on with their lives and doesn't resort to petty Snapchat stories.
Dating now is a world away from dating in the past. While dating now has its perks, it's certainly got some problems that need fixing. I say we bring back some of the rules from the past, because even despite these rules, people came out very happy in the end. I think everyone is entitled to that.
