Will It Ever End? Dating In A Post-Pandemic World (Someday)
Coming out of your shell as the pandemic restrictions are easing? (although stay tuned on that) Despite the light at the end of this long tunnel, we are still in the post-restriction phase and in just another phase of the same pandemic.
However, some say love is in the air. Maybe it's something that people used to call dating back then too, but dating has definitely changed since the post-apocalyptic world came into existence.
Before the pandemic, dating was anything but simple.
The topics of love, relationships, and sex have always been shrouded in distorted messages, unhelpful lessons, and unrealistic goals of what a good and successful relationship "should" look like. However, a "date" was pretty straightforward. Back before everything went down, dating probably consisted of picking up your date from their home or apartment and taking he or she out for a fancy dinner or a movie. Generally, dating involved going out with someone and spending time with them doing things you both had interest in doing together in addition to spending time alone getting to know one another.
Dating after the pandemic is somehow MORE complicated.
Now that we are in the post-restriction in-pandemic phase, dating is much more complex. We face many new challenges and old rules simply don't apply anymore.
People have an even closer relationship with technology and its use as a means of communication
Health status and viewpoints on vaccinations now become a key question that must be asked before dating.
For many people, there are priorities outside of dating right now.
Dating in both situations will be vastly different but here are some tips to get things off on the right foot:
1. If you have not dated since the dating rules changed, reconsider what dating even means to you nowadays.
2. People are different now and dating will take time for both parties to ease into. Take your time with the person to get to know them and learn how dating works now.
3. Communicate! This is dating 101. Communication is still the most important part of dating, especially in dating post-pandemic where things are going to be very different than dating pre-pandemic.
4. Consider dating as dating 2.0 and adapt your dating strategy accordingly. Things have changed since you dated! There is no need for a fancy dinner or a movie on a first date.
5. Remember that dating, sex, love, and relationships are different now. Everything has changed since the pandemic! A relationship cannot be built with someone on false promises of the past dating experiences.
6. If you've been dating before everything went down and since then feel like dating is hard, dating post-pandemic can feel a bit overwhelming. Remember that dating used to be complicated before the pandemic and dating doesn't have to be that way anymore!
Dating is a negotiation. It's not dating if both parties are always giving and no one ever asks anything of the other person while dating post-apocalyptic. If you're going to date, it might as well be dating 2.0 where there are new rules that have been set in place since society went down for good (and then got back up). One rule? Communication! Dating now has more obstacles than ever before so don't expect things to go smoothly when dating after the pandemic strikes again or dating pre-pandemic either. You'll need patience, understanding, and empathy from your partner who may be dealing with their own challenges outside of dating right now.