Growing up in this generation has been a real struggle for me and for a few select others. I personally love the concept of love, but the idea of love has lost it's spark with the majority of my generation. There has been a new development introduced to our society that we now acknowledge as "hooking up." In most cases we cannot fathom that we have a problem until it has been too late. People start to realize what long term effects "hooking up" has when they are finally desiring the feeling of being in love or being loved. Once they are ready for relationships people are turned off by the fact that they slept around and did not value intimacy.

At first "hooking up" may seem like the best idea, then you realize with maturity that it rarely leads to anything more than sex. People have stopped believing in love because they feel like the only thing people see is their bodies. Rather than people getting to know each other, going on dates, and valuing the other person as a whole; they are resorting to "hooking up."

There are many issues with this new concept that we as a generation have taken on. For one we have lost respect for each other. We are at a point in our lives where our main focus is ourselves and the desires that we are seeking. "Hooking up" with someone does not allow us to know one another and to grow respect for them. Secondly, "hooking up" has become an excuse for people when they just got through a hard breakup or long lasting relationships end. I am not downplaying how hard breakups can be but resorting to using someone for sex has ruined the idea of love. Love has become completely undervalued and almost nonexistent in our generation.

I understand completely that each individual has a right to do as they please, but it saddens me that love has become so unimportant. There are few individuals looking for serious relationships with people that find the person attractive all the way around. Love has been replaced for "hook ups" and it has made it hard for people to appreciate relationships. Although this concept seems to be going further and further downhill, I have much hope for this generation to brings things full round and change our values.