Ladies, don’t you just love it when a man holds a door open for you? Don’t you love when he takes the time to spark a conversation with you, in hopes that you both can exchange numbers because he is eager to get to know more about you? Isn’t it a great feeling when you get those random calls in the middle of the day? You know those random calls where he invites you to go on a picnic or enjoy a lovely evening at the lake. What about bringing you a beautiful bouquet of flowers in the middle of an infuriating shift at work just because he knows that it will brighten up your day. My only question is, what happened to those things?

It’s not a matter of being humorous. Where in time did we go wrong to make chivalry a thing of the past? I can’t seem to pinpoint exactly when in time things shifted, and I don’t think anyone can. I only have my own hypothesis. Is it the media? Is the industry brainwashing people into thinking that this new form of “dating” is acceptable? By new form of dating, I mean instantly trying to get someone’s number, going over to their house and trying to overstay your welcome. Or is it because the proper way to date just isn’t being taught anymore? Are parents not having those conversations with their children?

It just worries me when I think about it because I think about future generations in this same predicament. If in this day and age we don’t know how to properly engage in a courtship with others, then how do we expect our children to do the same? In my opinion, the majority of this generation is somewhat clueless. But then again, is it that we know how to date, but we just don’t want to go through the obstacles to get the prize? Considering the media, dating is not stressed in music; it’s all about making your way in, getting your way out and never speaking to one another again. Getting to know the person is no longer relevant.

There are many things wrong with this. It’s morally wrong, and it’s also dangerous. According to cdc.gov, the rates for sexually transmitted diseases has skyrocketed since the early 2000s, and they continue to grow every year. The most common are syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea. There were at least 1.4 million cases of chlamydia, one the most common STDs, in 2014. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of these facts. This is why it continues to spread rapidly, and it is most common for young adults between the ages of 18-25.

If nothing else can convince people to take a different approach when dating, this should start to open eyes. At this point, we’re talking about your lives and the lives of others because so many people go around and are completely unaware that they have the disease. Not taking the time to learn about the other person before engaging in a sexual relationship raises the risk for contracting something that he or she may not know they have.

Personally, I believe nothing good can come from rushing a relationship, even if it isn’t just for the sex. What good can you get out of dating someone if you don’t fully know who they are? Call me old fashioned if you wish, but I would love to go back to those days where taking things slow, going on dates and actually showing interest in one another was actually the norm.