I hate dating, and it's not because of awkward first dates. I hate dating people my age, actually let me correct myself, I hate "talking" to people my age. The dating scene has changed from getting milkshakes and going to movies into Netflix and Chill and I'm not having it. I deserve better than that and so do you. Do not settle for a boy who is scared of commitment, instead, fall in love with a man who knows what he wants in life and isn't afraid to go after it. To me, a man is someone who knows what they want in life and is going to work their tail off to get it. They have goals and ambition and believe me when I say that those accessories make a guy way more attractive than the number of beers they can chug.

1. You never meet anyone in person now. It’s all through social media and dating apps like Tinder.

When my kids grow up and they ask my husband how we met you can bet the answer will not be, “He swiped right on my Tinder profile and it was history after that”. I want to be able to tell my kids that we did things the right way, he asked for my number (or vice versa) and on our first date I spilt spaghetti on my outfit because I was shaking from being so nervous. That their father wasn’t scared to go home with me during the holidays and meet my parents. I want my children to grow up with parents who set an example of how they should be loved and should love others.

1. 2. A date consists of the table being lit by phone screens instead of candle light

This one explains itself and is sadly something I see every time I go out to eat. I’m guilty of it, we are all guilty of it but that doesn’t mean that we can’t change it.

3. Instead of flowers and knocking on the front door, we’re greeted with a text saying, “hey I’m outside.”

Ladies, if you are going on a first date and the guy you are going out with doesn’t come to your door, don’t walk outside. I don’t care if he can’t find a parking spot or doesn’t want to walk up a flight of stairs, if he can’t come to your door to greet you (and your friends hiding in the hallway listening to everything y’all say) then you don’t need to get in the truck with him. It’s a respect thing in my book and if he can’t perform this simple task then he’s not worth your time.

4. We have settled for Netflix and Chill in place of getting dolled up and shown off.

I know we say a lot that we don’t want to get dressed up but sometimes we do. Now, if Netflix releases the newest season of our favorite series please excuse us as we turn into hermits who don't want to be bothered unless food is involved. I'm not saying that every date needs to be a five course meal but every once in a while we want to be shown off.

5. CALL AND TEXT US FIRST SOMETIMES.

I can count the number of times on both hands that I have heard someone say, “well they didn’t text me yesterday so I’m not going to text them.” Just do it, text us a simple “hey, how’s your day going” or “hey, I’m really busy right now but I will call you later today.” And if you do decide to text us first, don’t be shallow. Actually care. The power behind a text message from the person you’re crushing on is gigantic. It legitimately has the power to turn someone’s day from mediocre to exceptional just by sending a text first. If you call us or find the conversation lacking when hanging out, ask us meaningful questions like, “when you were younger what did you want to be when you grew up?”, “who do you look up to the most?”, “If money wasn’t an issue where would you go and why?” ASK us these questions and watch our faces fill with a passion and excitement that you’ve never seen sweep over us before. Get to know us and I can guarantee that we will love to do the same for you. We love to talk (most of us anyways) but we also love to listen. We want to hear what makes you the happiest in this world because I can guarantee that one day we will want to be able to provide it for you.

6. The shy ones are pretty humorous

This one is actually as old as time but it's still relevant no matter what era you grow up in. However, we often go over looked because guys our age are more interested with outer beauty rather than inner. Which is cool, you do you. But when you’re forty and wondering why none of your relationships worked out it might be due to the fact that you can’t build something deep and meaningful with someone shallower than an inch of rain. So if you’re looking for us, we are surrounded by our closest friends and family just waiting on the man who proves to us that they’re good enough to sit with us and not the other way around.

It pisses me off that this has become the norm for the dating world and I won’t settle for it. If my future husband is reading this, please understand that love isn’t easy and neither am I. So if you’re ready for a challenge I will be here, doing what I do best. I'll continue to blare Lynyrd Skynyrd, love my horses, family and the Good Man upstairs. Until the man God wants in my life drives up in his truck ready to work at our relationship, I’ll be working on myself and my relationship with God, much like I hope my future husband is doing right now.