Has teen dating become a thing of the past? According to an article published on The Learning Network, the word “date” should be eliminated from the dictionary. Going out for dinner, or going to see a movie, even a walk on the beach is too cliche to be a “date”.

Today’s generation doesn’t go out to dinner or catch a chick flick. They “hang out” or “chill” in large groups with other friends who are seeing each other exclusively. The ideal “date” for teens today, is a group of people gathering together and watching Netflix (and I mean this in the actual, literal sense -not as a euphemism) while they eventually split their separate ways to hook up with their boyfriend/girlfriend.

Not only has the traditional “date” been outdated, but so has the relationship itself. According to an article published in Stronger Marriage, dating is an opportunity for adults to get a feel for a relationship, and potentially an opportunity for marriage. Dating is a way for adults to figure out their lives and meet their perfect life partner. As for teens, it’s a different idea.

Teens typically don’t start out by dating. Like adults start dating to build up to marriage, teens start out with having a “thing” to build up to dating. To today’s generation, a “thing” is to let everyone know that two people like each other and are interested in each other, but they aren’t officially dating. Having a thing is a way for teens to feel how it would be in a relationship with the person they’re “talking to” and see if there is really anything there.

Teenager Jessica Bockel describes having a thing as “doing the same things you would do in a relationship but not being exclusive.”

Teenager Jenna Coupe describes why having a thing is important, and why dating right away is a bad thing. ” We do it to be socially accepted since it’s the “norm”, and we’re scared of how the relationship would go if you were actually dating because it’s more serious.”

The way of dating has drastically changed, from what you call it, how you do it, and why. The impact of society has changed the way of dating and all its functions, including its name, but mostly it’s tradition.
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