I got 99 problems but dating ain’t one…it’s all of them! So much so, the word dating becomes synonymous with horror after so many awkward meet ups, cringe-worthy conversations and social media confusion that introduces even more horrific experiences to deal with in the dating world than ever before.
One of the most truly terrifying dating scenarios is being ghosted. Even worse, telling your friends about the person you’re dating only to have them disappear altogether and having to explain to those same friends your new interest must be some sort of spy, because they’re completely uncontactable and unable to be seen ever again.
After googling the term ghosting, turns out it happens a lot! Countless articles and personal stories reveal many people have suffered the same fate of liking someone only to have them never respond to a message and never explain why.
Like the Bermuda triangle and how the pyramids were built, what happened to that person you were dating will remain one of the biggest mysteries in the world. Or maybe it’s a conspiracy??
You could put on a monocle and contrive a great 1920s detective accent to figure it out or move on and take solace in the fact it happens to many people.
Why does it happen though? Perhaps because of the modern dating era in which there are way too many platforms to communicate and way too many people you can communicate with thanks to dating apps. Swipe, swipe, swipe and suddenly there’s dates lined up left, right and centre. A conversation with one person ceases a conversation with another and when you’re finally talking to someone you actually like and have exchanged numbers, Snapchat and Instagram handles as well as added them on Facebook, the many methods of communication become all too overwhelming. Do you send a funny video or text a cheeky reply with a salsa dancing girl emoji or tag them in a meme or post a photo of you both with #relationshipgoals? The funniest thing about it all is how many frivolous questions social media and electronic means of communication have created. If you really want a laugh in the dating world, tell someone you’ll call them instead, it’s guaranteed to freak someone out for sure.
Say you finally figured out your method of communication and you’re going on a date. Some dates are wonderful and leave you wanting more. Others (like the many I’ve been on) are cringe-worthy to say the least. There was the time a date never asked any questions about me but instead forced me to listen to an awful rap song they had uploaded on YouTube, also the time I was suspicious my date had smoked some illegal substances before meeting up and the many times with various dates where conversations had ended up in prolonged silences leaving me to stare around the room or sip my drink constantly until someone mentioned the weather.
So why keep dating when there’s so many bad stories to tell? I guess having also experienced the great things about dating (like the excitement of meeting someone interesting and with the same sense of humor) becomes enough to keep wading through all the awkwardness. Yes, I’ve been ghosted, confused as to which social media platform to talk to my date on and ran away from countless bad dates, but these stories all end up being discussed and laughed over a glass of wine with friends who know the same dating trials and triumphs themselves.
End of story, bad dates bring us together as women. So grab a glass of vino with your vina and dish!! Or, pour one out in the comments!
VINAZINE 