Being a hopeless romantic started for me at a young age. I dreamt of it, I asked endless questions about it, and I even wondered how exactly it would all eventually turn out for me. I grew up spending my days watching Disney movies that consistently ended in a happily ever after. I watched my dad open the car door for my mom after every ride we took, even if it was a quick trip to get ice cream. I heard countless stories about my older sister going out on dates with boys who bought her flowers and chocolate covered strawberries and even introduced themselves to my parents.
I have grown to crave relationships with people that seem to no longer exist. I developed an obsession with wanting to meet my soul mate, fall in love, and eventually, get my happily ever after. Yet at 19, I have come to realize relationships in an era where social media is booming is utterly challenging. The interaction we all have on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat has ultimately distinguished the “I miss you” factor of each relationship.
We live in a generation where the person who acts as if they care less, wins. We have learned over time that the more you show someone how much they mean to you, the more at risk you are when it comes to getting hurt. Can this whole “fall in love with someone over text message” stage really exist? Are we forgetting about the connections we are meant to have with people face to face? Why is it that feelings are confessed via text instead of in person? Why has putting a label on two people who enjoy each others company become such a horror? Why has it become so challenging to get to know someone outside of their social media accounts?
I have come to the mournful conclusion that our world is far different from any Disney movie we have ever seen. Being a hopeless romantic is about more than just wanting to be in love, it's about comprehensively giving yourself to someone and wanting the same in return. Hopeless romantics give their heart out willingly with the slight chance that they could possibly end up with happiness and someone to enjoy life with. We know what we want life to look like and it's exceedingly hard to settle for anything less than what we know we deserve. We don’t waste time on small talk because we want to know the in and outs of your mind and why you believe the sun shines the way it does.
Wistfully, we are the living proof that the “Netflix and Chill” generation does indeed exist. I have found that the only cure for being a hopeless romantic is finding someone who agrees that this generation is being force-fed bullshit about what love really is. Get off Tinder, people! Stop sending those "Wanna chill?" texts. Go out into the world and provide chivalry still exists.
