I refuse to put my health at risk for a good hookup. With the pandemic, there is just too much on the line for one fun night.

While I've never been the type of girl who made it a habit to go out, get drunk and wake up in a stranger's bed, this pandemic is ensuring I stay even further away from the potential "walk of shame." Frankly, there is too much at stake, and while I miss the excitement of getting ready and going out, I refuse to put my health on the line.

While the 'one-night stand' is just another thing the pandemic stripped away, the 'one-month stand' is on the rise, further evolving the way our society views relationships.

A few weeks ago, Elle published an article titled "The Rise of the One-Month Stand." While I am no way as adventurous as the author of the piece, I believe the pandemic allows women to be more selective regarding the men we choose to date. Strange right, in a world where we are so deprived of human interaction, this pandemic is essentially saying to all of us modern women, "No, he doesn't deserve you, you deserve more."

Dating apps like Bumble, Hinge, and Graze all rolled out video dating features during the pandemic, allowing people worldwide to connect and have some fun. Knowing sex is off the table because, well, there is a global pandemic going on, which helps take some pressure off, allowing people to bond in oftentimes a deeper capacity.

After all, people crave intimacy, so wanting to connect with someone is only natural.

But let's say you really connect with someone, and then after a few weeks of talking you want to meet this person. My suggestion, if you take the proper precautions, go for it. Get a COVID test, go somewhere public with good ventilation, and keep a good head on your shoulders. While we can all hope COVID virtual dating sparked some lifelong relationships, the truth is it probably didn't. But what is the harm in a fun one-month stand?

Urban Dictionary describes this term as seeing someone for a few weeks or maybe a few months. Of course, then they go further to say, "the person is really into you, you realize you have absolutely no feelings for him/her, the one gets a broken heart, and you get an enemy." But because of this pandemic, the potential enemy is diminished. In my opinion, there is less pressure on budding relationships formed during the pandemic because of all the uncertainty during this time.

Let's be honest, random sex during this pandemic is not a smart move. But this pandemic is prolonging the talking and courtship part of any relationship.

But don't women deserve it? Don't we deserve to be in control, to be picky, to be highly selective?

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