FIRST DATE…KINDA NERVOUS
PHS students and staff discuss the evolution of dating culture
Photo Courtesy of Mrs. Schwahn
PHS beloved teachers Mr. and Mrs. Schwahn shown in their younger years.
Facetime and Text messages may have taken over our dating culture, but the movie and dinner dates will never be forgotten. Through all of the cultural aspects that may have changed, respect is one that will always stay true.
“I believe in the old rules,” math teacher Mr. Russ Schwahn said. “Guys should hold doors for ladies and things like that but most importantly to treat them with respect.”
Healthy relationships are getting harder to come by as generations are beginning to become much too comfortable with unhealthy habits and toxic behaviors.
According to a brochure by Strong Families Strong Wyoming, “33% of teens who were in an abusive relationship never told anyone about the abuse.”
“Boundaries are huge,” health teacher Mrs. Kandi Bennnett said. “Make sure you know what kind of character you are and stay true to yourself in a relationship.”
Educating others of your boundaries and not letting the challenges of life get the best of you are truly going to help you blossom a healthy relationship.
I think the ways that you meet people [today] might be quite a bit different. Your interest in someone might be more piqued through some form of social media.
— Educational paraprofessional Mrs. Lisa Schwahn
As time goes on,social media is starting to play a huge role in the everyday lives of most teens. Social media has become a popularity contest in our culture. People will follow you or respond to your messages if they’re interested in your looks, your clothes, or even your location. Dating has been massively impacted through this new lifestyle teenagers have constructed.
“Social media is kind of taking over,” senior George Estes said. “Not a lot of people are going out in person or seeing each other face to face.”
Although social media may play a huge role in lots of teens’ relationships, it doesn’t affect all teenagers.
“I think my relationship is in the middle,” sophomore Saige Kidd said. “Sure we [she and her boyfriend] text a lot, but we also spend lots of time together.”
With all that may be wrong with our dating culture, some believe that simple tasks make a lifelong improvement. Educating our youth to be a good partner in a healthy and loving relationship leads to improvement of our world across many boards.
