Has dating in college gone the
way of poodle skirts and saddle
shoe*? Many students agree that
dating is no longer a social norm of
college life. Reasons range from not
wanting to give up the “group
identity” to simple lack of finances,
(ioing out in groups has become a
preference to traditional one-on
one dating.
What do you think
of the college
dating scene?
N't pretty bad
People date
amend and meel
the tame people
II realty doatn t
briny people any
closer together '
— LYNN SANNIEL.
FRESHMAN.
BIOLOGY
piling Mims
like It evolves
around Ike greet
system. It you're
not a pari ot It.
they kind ol shine
you on But. then
again, there are
some people who
are cool about It.'
— CHARLIE SURH.
UNDECLARED.
SOPHOMORE
'll teems like e
lot at people
meet el clubs end
stud I think It's
better to be
friends with
people you meet.
People here get
together reel lest,
end I don't think
that’s really
normal.'
— CELESTE
DESPRES. SENIOR.
ECONOMICS
I think it (dating)
calls too much
lor money and
what each person
eipects from
each other I
don't think
there's much
consideration ol
what the
individual is
like '
— FRASER
SHILLING.
GRAOUATE
STUDENT. BIOLOGY
GAIL PAGALA AMO JOHN URATA
II '* vmllAHN AlUnllWA SHlIAl 10 II
Has traditional
dating become a
thing of the past?
►Many students
, no longer play
Sthe romance game
By Anita McDonnell
■ Daily T rojan
U. of Southern California
In the 19f>0s and 1970s, the atti
tude of “free love” shaped the
relationships of the time. As a sign
of rebellion against structured social
rules regarding dating in the 1950s, and
because of new attitudes about personal
liberty, young adults believed love
should Ik- shared freely among every
one They believed exclusive dating was
unfair.
Generalizations cannot be made as
easily about students today
“There’s always been that kind of
looking for one person who thinks you’re
special." said I)r. Steve Ino, a staff
psychologist at the U. of Southern Cali
forma (USt'i Counseling Services The
real difference is in the way we go about
the search, Ino said
“I think in terms of what young adults
are looking for in a romantic rela
tionship, there haven't been many
changes," said Ino, “(Butt the ways in
which they’ve tried to find it might have
changed.
“What I sis- is more different types of
relationships going on." said Ino
While the types of relationships
among young adults have changed
drastically, dating has undergone more
NUIH.lt1 LnUIl|;t*N.
People may or may not date in the
traditional way, but they arc still mak
ing the contacts needed to find rela
tionships Dating now can l>o seen as
any situation that involves meeting
people.
“Usually I like to go out one on one
when I date. I’m more comfortable that
way," said Steve Kisner, a senior major
ing in sports information
“When I start seeing a guy, I want to
spend time with him in groups rather
than one on one. It eases the pressure,"
said Alexandra Kurland, a sophomore
majoring in psychology.
"Relationships have become more of
an outgrowth of regular friendships
than anything else," said Glenn Sum
mer, a junior majoring in filmic writing.
“We always need to have some sort of
contact, some sort of relationship with
others. We’re social creatures,” said Ino.
“I also think that we need to make these
social contacts meaningful."
“Meaningful" might lx* defined accur
ately by Sigmund Freud, said Ino
Freud’s definition of love separates
emotions from sex Blending the two
successfully is the key to true, mature
love, he thought.
I he search tor the ideal, that one
“meaningful" relationship, is fueled by
internal and external social pressurt‘8.
Relationships provide a feeling of
being valued — a feeling Ino said is im
portant to anyone’s perception of self
worth Some people fulfill this need
with traditional monogamous boyf
riend/girlfriend relationships, while
others an* satisfied with casual sexual
friendships, or one-night stands.
Each type* of relationship may satisfy
a need, but in differing degrees. A one
night stand might make people feel
good about themselves, but only for a
short period of time. That may Ik* all
someone wants.
“1 think in the past, in the ’50s and the
MOs it was more like women went to
college not specifically for a career, but
to consider being in a social situation
when* they (could) meet a potentially
successful, intelligent, college-educated
partner," Ino said
By Matt Bach
■ Central Michigan Lite
Central Michigan U.
The words “relationship” and “dat
ing are not words many students
use often.
And some members of the Central
Michigan U. (CMU> community agree
the trend is toward less one-on-one
dating
“Today we are seeing a lot more group
behaviors, then people couple off,” said
Bruce Roscoe, professor of home econo
mics, family life and consumer educa
tion.
“It may is- financial, or maybe (college
students) are not yet ready to give up
group identity and move into i moraliz
ing) identity," Roscoe said
Today social “rules" are changing,
said Jerry St rouse, a professor in Res
cue's department
Dating has become less formal,
Strouse said “There are not so many
single (dating! rules. Women can now
call up men lor a date. (Students) go to
the bar with people of their same sex
groups and decide to meet people of the
opposite sex there."
Although some ('MIJ students think
there is a new trend in “group dating,”
others still think dating patterns are
different for all individuals.
.John Petras, professor of sociology,
anthropology and social work, said
more “party dating” people of the
same sex attending social functions in
groups and meeting members of the
opposite sex — is occurring, hut it is not
replacing traditional dating
“(Party dating) is replacing the first
date situation," Petras said.
“It is giving people an opportunity to
meet someone in a more comfortable
situation . . instead of the traditional
calling them up over the phone."