I've had three dates so far with this amazing guy. I'm not talking about him coming over to "Netflix and Chill" or just come for a quick experience, and then just leave. I mean we've been on three amazing dates where I've gotten to know him while keeping our clothes completely on. But this "style" of dating seems almost obsolete in a time when most people consider dating having someone come over to just 'chill' and not really get to know them personally.

Don't get me wrong, I fall victim to this all the time. But as someone who is transitioning into a new phase in my life, I am more worried about finding a potential partner than a quick hook-up. I am also someone who fundamentally believes that talking and interacting with a person is so much more beneficial to the development of a relationship than knowing what they're "interested in" on a dating app or what they're looking for.

Of course, as most romantic interactions begin, mine started on a gay dating app. Scruff, to be exact. Now while this is one of the more sophisticated dating apps for gay men, the primary function of the site is to get people laid. I was browsing the site one day when I stumbled upon the profile of one of the most attractive guys I had ever seen. I honestly thought he was out of my league, but my new thing is to put myself more out there, so I decided to take a chance and message him. A simple 'Hello, how's your day going?,' and I figured it would never go anywhere, like most of those messages do. To my astonishment, he responded, and from there ensued a lovely conversation, ending in us setting a date to go get coffee at one of my favorite coffee shops.

I honestly was really nervous when the day came. Though I was still fairly recently out of another relationship, the majority of my nerves came from the fact that I realized that this was the first time I had had an actual "first date." All of my other relationships had come from either connections from friends or other dating apps. So this was the first time I was actually engaging in the art of "dating." And I have to say, I absolutely loved it. This guy is simply amazing and everything I could ask for in a guy. And I genuinely enjoyed sitting down and getting to know him without having to do anything sexual at all.

The most surprising, and honestly gratifying, parts of this date was when he said he enjoyed the date, he said he would want to go on more dates. And I couldn't help but fully agree with this. Since then, we have been on two other dates and it has continued to be amazing. But this continues to make me think as to why people wouldn't want to go on dates anymore. I'm not saying that we should get rid of dating apps altogether (because, well, that's how this whole thing started for me). But what I am saying is that I feel like society should go back to the days when people would go on more dates before they are in relationships. The idea of getting to know someone over dinner or coffee, and actually talking to them, is something that will never get old for me, no matter how many dates I have to go in order to find Mr. Right, instead of just falling for Mr. Right Now.