Teenage dating is a new and exciting experience for young people. At least that’s how it used to be. Nowadays, talking to someone is basically snapping pictures back and forth and social media-based communication. How does this differ from dating in the past? Well, there are quite a few differences.
Teenage dating in the past
In the 1950s dating protocol had men as the ones in charge. It was considered inappropriate for a woman to approach a man about going out on a date. An article named “This Is What Dating Looked like More than 50 years ago,” says that “As one young man wrote to Seventeen magazine back in 1959: Once he meets a girl and becomes interested in her, a boy must indulge in a sly, artful practice called pursuit.”
So how long did people date before sealing the deal? An article named “Marriage has never been a more popular institution,” expresses that “Of those married during the 1950’s almost half were acquainted before marriage for between 2-4 years.” A term for long-term dating such as this was called “going steady.”
Fast forward to the 90s people generally went out more; this was pre-Facebook, pre-Snapchat, so if you wanted to go out on dates and or socialize with other people, you just would have to meet someone in person. This meant actually leaving your house.
Teen dating now
Teen dating has changed quite a lot from the past. The dating pool has widened. Back then the dating pool might of consisted of the teens in your high school or the ones that lived in your neighborhood. But with new apps and technology, you can connect with teens from around the world. An article from “Verywell Family,” says “About 8% of teens report dating someone they first met online, according to the Pew Research Center.”
Social media is a major source of jealousy. Before social media, if you saw your love interest talking to another girl in the hallway, you may have to ask around. Now, teenagers can find this information out through things such as online public conversations and who likes and comments on someone’s posts. Another portion of the article from “Verywell family,” expresses that “Approximately 27% of teens report social media makes them feel jealous and uncertain about their romantic relationship.”
If you’re thinking about dipping your toes into the pool of dating, be cautious of the rabbit hole that is social media
