By Kassidy Tsikitas | Photographer
At least once in our lives, we saw a BuzzFeed quiz titled “What does your future partner look like?” Out of curiosity, I clicked on it and was told my future spouse looked like a random celebrity — Zac Efron or Leonardo DiCaprio.
These harmless quizzes were a stepping stone to a new generation of online romances, though social media isn’t inherently a bad way to connect with people. It can be a way to make friends who live in the same city or a place to share your business — the point of it is to create a new way to have a social hub.
While there is no shame in using dating apps, the whole practice can eventually become unethical. Online dating site commercials have been around since I can remember — this desensitized younger generations. I’ve had my fair share of scrolling on dating apps because I was bored, but when looking for someone to be with, I’d prefer to find a partner out in the wild.
A study from Brigham Young University by Spencer Palmer Christensen said, “The more time an individual spent on social media, the more likely they were to experience a negative impact on their overall emotional well-being and decreased quality in their relationships.” This study used their research from hundreds of individuals surveyed to see how social media has impacted their relationships. They found that many of these subjects’ relationships suffered due to social media causing distractions, and eventually it would cause an emotional rift between partners.
To reference one of Frank Ocean’s songs, “Facebook Story” is about how a guy didn’t accept his girlfriend’s friend request. She accused him of cheating and not loving her enough. This song highlights how social media can distort trust and create insecurities in relationships, emphasizing the role that digital interactions play in shaping modern romantic dynamics.
Social media has caused such a drift in real-world dating that it even inclined people to make a show called “CatFish,” featuring individuals who pose as someone else to increase matches on dating apps. Data from ForbesHealth states that nearly 70% of Americans have met someone on social media that led to a romantic relationship.
Not only does social media give us easier access to finding a relationship, but it also causes us to have distorted standards in our potential relationships. Seeing others be posted by their significant others can cause people to feel displeased with what they already have. These digital portrayals don’t match up with what is going on behind closed doors, but our minds like to wander in the “grass is greener” mentality.
From personal experience, it took me a minute to find someone willing to truly emphasize the romantic part of our relationship. While it might seems like romance is dead, you will find one or more people who are willing to exercise romance — shoutout to my ex for being the first person to get me flowers. Remember to step away from the phone to live in the moment.
