Every night, before I go to bed I turn on one of my 90s sitcom “comfort shows” as a way to decompress. When I want a mindless show I can rewatch endlessly, I put on “Boy Meets World” or “Full House.” Both of these shows take place primarily in high school, and focus on the dating lives of teens in the 90s.
In these shows, and shows from that era, I have noticed that relationships back then were different then now. Dating was more romantic. Boys asked girls out in person, and a “talking phase” did not exist.
We now live in the era of dating on Snapchat, and it has taken all romance out of teen dating. Today, many teenagers use Snapchat similarly to a dating app. Many relationships start electronically as teens use Snapchat as a way to meet girls or guys. Most Snapchat relationships begin with sending the other person a collection of photos of yourself. If the other person is interested, they start a “convo.” If not, they will most likely unadd you or block you. Brutal, I know.
The next stage of Snapchat dating is the “talking stage.” For weeks or months, teens waste their time “getting to know each other” through chatting on snapchat. A large part of getting to know somebody is facial expressions and eye contact. When texting, conversation often ends up flat and emotionless.
The 90s did this “talking stage” better. In the 90s, people got to know each other face-to-face on the first couple dates. That’s the way it should be. Dating in person is a way more personal and efficient way to get to know somebody.
Then, after a long time of texting and chatting electronically, finally somebody will ask the other out..over the phone. Again, this next stage is still not face-to-face, completely eliminating all the personal or romantic qualities of getting asked out. This “easier” way takes less courage, and therefore often means less.
I think part of the reason I find 90s shows so comforting is because they show a raw, Snapchat free world of dating. A world filled with Cory and Tapanga, and DJ and Steve. It was a world that knew how to wear their heart on their sleeve and take a chance. If they wanted to be with someone, they couldn’t hide behind a screen. They had to take a deep breath, look someone in the eyes, and take a leap.
