I just have one question. What on earth has happened to chivalry nowadays? Instead of being swept off your feet by a gentleman holding the door open for you on a date, we are now romanticized by a swipe to the right on Tinder. It would not be fair to solely blame society for this drastic change in expectations due to the mass amount of dating apps that are out there now, but c'mon people.

Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Tinder, Grindr, etc. are just a few examples of the media madness. Don't get me wrong, my phone battery goes from 100 percent to 85 percent in a matter of minutes due to my unknowingly constant checking of applications on my iPhone. Just the other day when I was taking the bus to class, I took a moment to look around and observe my fellow peers also going to class. About almost everyone was sitting down, staring at their phones, and not interacting with one another. How on earth are you supposed to meet someone to date or be friends with if you cannot even take the time to lock your phone?

You go out to eat at a restaurant on a nice Friday evening and what do you see? A couple sitting across from each other at a booth staring down at their bright little screens, almost as though they are existing in completely different worlds. All of this social media is causing problems and distance that never should be there in the first place. These data-sucking applications can be used for good in a way that they allow you to meet new people, but it also twists the word "meet" into "we have exchanged fun messages online but never actually talked in person."

Being able to practically hide behind a touch screen turning yourself into the kind of person you want to portrayed as online may be something completely different than the amazing person you actually are in person. How is anyone ever supposed to know how intelligent, witty, and stunning of a person you are if the only chance you get to show yourself is through a profile picture online?

The point of the matter is, social media is slowly decreasing the real-life romance out of day-to-day life. Twitter is good for a sarcastic thought you had while walking to class, but not for sliding into the DMs and asking someone out on a date. Simply by just putting the phone down and genuinely getting to know someone should be the only way to start a relationship or friendship. It's difficult to meet the right person, but I can guarantee social media is not the answer. So please, the next time you catch yourself staring down at your phone while out to eat with a boyfriend/girlfriend or group of friends, set it down and enjoy the other's company. You never know unless you try.

Maybe we should bring back the flip phones. Those were the days.