Back in the day, dating meant going out on actual dates with people. But, in 2019, that idea of dating is long gone. Everyone is just looking out for themselves, lying to people, and hurting someone before they get hurt. Dating just doesn't mean anything to anyone anymore.

Somewhere along the way, the "talking" stage was created. This is basically just a period of time where two people are together, but they're not official. Weird, right?

I used to think this whole idea was stupid. Why say you're with someone if you're not actually with them? It didn't make sense.

But now that dating doesn't seem to exist like it used to, I've learned that the talking stage is actually 100% necessary.

I'm the kind of person that if I show an interest in someone, it's because I could see myself being in a relationship with them. I'm not the kind of person who is looking for a hookup or just for someone to hang around with. I also have an idea of what I want my future to look like and I have goals for myself. I want someone who is going to help me achieve those goals and stand by me as I make a future for myself. So, obviously, I'd want to find someone who's looking for the same thing as me.

Because of this, instead of wasting my time with every single person that comes along...there's the talking stage. Where you get to know the person, find out if you have similar interests, and just see if you have a connection. While I've always thought this whole "talking" thing was dumb, the older I get, the more I realize that it's actually a really good way to keep yourself from getting hurt or falling for the wrong person.

In the end, if there's a connection, you can thank the talking stage for helping make it official.