Dear Millennial Dating,

First off, a disclaimer; much against people's beliefs, this will not be some rant on relationships, and this will not be something that says screw all people who are happy. This is a letter to all those who have been affected by the disease called "millennial relationships."

Unfortunately, life isn’t as simple as it was in our parents' dating days. Between classes, clubs, Greek life, internships and jobs, we millennials have a lot on our plates. Thus, this overwhelming sense of needing to “do it all, all the time” has spawned the devil-child that is our millennial dating culture. We all know what I'm talking about — I broke it down in my Tinder article a few weeks ago. So, you go on the first date, and have a good, potentially great time. You're excited, thinking, "okay, they're different. We have a connection." You continue texting, and you let them in more and more, whatever that means for you. You think, “okay, this will be it, we could be in a relationship.” A few more dates happen, they could start to meet your friends. How exciting, new, and hopefully different than the others.

But then, it stops. Maybe not all at once, but it eventually slows down. The conversation dries up, and it seems as quickly as it was started, that spark, that connection, is gone. Myself, and I’m sure many others, are left wondering, “what went wrong?” I’m sure we’ve heard it all, “you’re too young to be so committed.” “You’re meeting the wrong people.” “They weren’t right for you;” the list drags on. The legendary “ghosting” is a growing trend in our culture. You don’t talk to the person ever again, and occasionally see them around, but there’s never that closure that so many people desire and need when a relationship comes to an end.

We (I’m talking to people aged 18 to 25) need to stop this idea that people don’t have feelings when it comes to relationships. I can’t remember the exact place I heard it, but one time I heard millennial dating is now becoming a competition of who can care less. You text too much, you’re crazy. You text too little, you’re distant. You liked their Instagram from 76 weeks ago? Forget about it, you are screwed.

And to be quite honest, in case you couldn’t already tell, I am sick of it.

Myself, and many others, are not asking for flowers on every date; I’m not asking for all those extravagant things you see on those “relationship” Twitters. Sure, those things are nice, and can be very meaningful. But what’s more meaningful than that? An actual connection, the bonding of two people, not just on the surface but deep down. The kind of connection that you dream about, where you can tell that person everything, “good, bad, ugly, what have you," to quote "Juno." That person supports you, in whatever you want to do, and you support them back. Many of us are looking for a connection that’s real and, to be quite frank, isn’t an attempt to get our clothes off because we suddenly “trust” you.

But if I am also being frank, what also needs to happen, is that our generation stops letting this be the norm. We stop accepting the “okay” and we start accepting the “great." We stop accepting the “I’m crazy if I talk to them too much” and actually say what we want and feel about the people we are talking to. Why don’t they deserve to know? Why keep it in? Are we really that afraid of rejection? We need to be bold in our love and what we want from it. Do not be afraid to go and get what you want. And if you need to take a break and figure out what you personally want from a relationship, there is nothing wrong with that either. The millennials have the whole world in our hands; we all deserve the best in life, and we should not have to settle by any means.