The days of the traditional date are all but over. In this new relationship era, I am all but positive that no boy will ever get parental consent before asking a girl on a date. My grandparents would not approve. On the other hand, the nature of prep school fosters a unique sense of relationships. Everyone is living with each other; therefore, Choate differentiates greatly from the outside world. But lets be honest, dating here at Choate is laughable. There are two main factors that contribute to awkwardness between students. The first is the new technological breakthrough known as the “AIM game,” and the second, being less modern but still very useful, is the power of the DVD.
The idea of the “AIM game,” excuse my language, is very “Prep School.” AIM is a magical subculture of the internet revolution that lets almost anyone stay in touch with the world from anywhere. However, I see this phenomenon as cost efficient way to hinder human communication. It is rather funny in some situations because, on AIM, you never know whom you are chatting with. I have seen five or six guys huddled around a computer screen talking to a hot chick like a bunch of monkeys huddled around a freshly peeled banana. They collude and use the very best of their humor, wit and sex appeal to catch the female. Don’t be offended by this observation because I am positive that women partake in the same activities. The AIM revolution seems to take personality out of conversations. I hope that the youth of this culture do not go around saying, “totes,” “obvi” and “OMG.” It would be very unprofessional to walk into a job interview a couple years down the road and tell the employer that you are “obvi” qualified for the job. Lol.
The “AIM game” is the new way to reach out for a companion. People seem more confident behind the computer screen, and AOL Instant Messenger, than they do in real life, which is frightening. Is it really easier to talk with a hot chick or a sexy stud over the internet? I would argue that it’s easier because there is no direct physical contact, you can just hide behind the screen. While this may be an easy way to get a date with the prom queen, it is only hurting the individual’s social skills. If this internet trend continues, we may soon live in a world where dates can be completed without leaving the comfort of a living room. Virtual dates will sweep the nation! On a virtual date, people will hold virtual hands and use virtual money to pay for the virtual popcorn they eat while they watch a movie from separate houses. I would not want this to happen to the great country we call America. I think we need to find some sort of median. Perhaps AIM is alright in some cases, but also perhaps we should try to actually hang out with other humans. Also, while hunting on the “AIM game,” try to convince the person to actually meet you once or twice before you go on a date with them. Anything could happen. The dreamboat you thought you were meeting could turn out to have those less than perfect manners. I am talking about the kind of manners that make someone want to eat toxic waste or jump head first out of the nearest window. Therefore, to protect human decency, we must try to hold off on the “AIM game” and start playing the real field, not the virtual one.
Another humorous part of the dating scene is the actual date itself. There is not that much to do around Choate campus with a date. You could take your date to dinner, but the costs of dinners in Wallingford seem to be exponentially increasing at cozy places like Half Moon or Michael’s. This is where the power of the DVD comes into play. The DVD is a technological aphrodisiac. I am confident enough to say that we all have asked, or been asked, to put in a DVD at some point or another. Humorlessly enough, the date DVD always seems to be a movie you would never watch alone. I bet there are some people who would rather poke out their own eyeballs than watch one of those movies alone. The movie may be boring to allow the lovebirds to focus on other things such as conversation and, if time permits, a little homework help. Lets hope, for the sake of the future generation, that AIM is not part of the conversation.
Not every movie, however, has a sexual subtext. There are plenty of movies that I can imagine myself watching because I actually like them. “Pride and Prejudice” is definitely not one of those movies. I am not denying its value as a motion picture, I am simply pointing out that it is not the sort of movie a teenage boy would be enthralled to watch. If you have a secret agenda with the movie date, then go ahead and put in “Finding Neverland”. However, if you feel like hanging out like some do at Chill House, put in a classic. “Dumb and Dumber,” “Jumanji,” “Finding Nemo,” and even “The Terminator” series are great examples of these sorts of movies. I would suggest trying to pick an interesting movie. Take a chance with a good movie; because you can’t really go wrong. If it ends up being a movie that people can actually stay interested with, then congratulations, he or she thinks you have good taste in movies and may go with you on a second date. If the movie stinks, well then, I am sure you can think of other things to fill your Saturday night with.
