Then and Now

[campingboy]

With the march of time, social norms evolve. In the world of dating, how have these changed? If we pick an age of say 20 years old, and you do not need to tell how long ago that was, what were the standards for a date then? Did you kiss on your first date? Who took the initiative on asking the other out? When did you meet the others Family? When if ever do you sleep with your date?

[campingboy]

When I was 20, I was in first year University, living in residence. It was just starting to change, but I think the norm was for the guy to ask a girl out on the date. At least that is how I remember it. Dates were usually attending activities on campus or accessible by public transit. A good first date was going skating, skiing, or hiking and then after we would grabbing something to eat. A kiss on the first date was on the cheek. I never really had to think about introducing my date to my family as I never attend University in the city my family lived in. But generally my family knew who I was dating. Sex. I was in second year before that ever happened.

[Lilith]

I had been married for 2 years by the time I was 20. :D

[osuche]

At 20? LOL -- that wasn't too long ago. ;)

My ideal date was dinner and then going for coffee and a walk around campus or wherever. I've *never* liked going to movies on dats because I want to TALK to my date. :D

Kissing on the first date? Depends on the guy and the situation. More often yes than no, but I wanted to be the one to at least signal it was OK....rather than having the guy assume. Holding hands was definately OK

Sex? Depends on the guy. Ranged from 3rd date (@2 weeks) to 6 months....LOL....or never. :p

As for the family.....My family is the center of my life. If they were in town, my "date" was always welcome to come, and hangout. No pressure, no big deal.

[dreamgurl]

Well let's see, let me think back to my 20th year of life, so long ago. Oh wait, I am 20 lol. Just went out to dinner after i got off work, then sat and talked. It was alright. Yeah i kissed him but only on the cheek, didn't like him that much. He asked me but sometimes I get tired of waiting , and seeing as how i've gotten impaticent in my old age i ask them if need be. My last boyfriend I met his family about two and a half months in, wasn't formal or anything just like " hey this is my mom" kinda deal. and nope didn't have sex with any of them, haven't felt like they have been worth putting myself through all that for them lol.

[BIBI]

By 20 I was married and had a baby and was buying our first house.

I didn't start real "dating" until 5 years ago in my forties.....LMAO My daughter was such a worry wart too.

[Galatea]

When I was 20, 4 years ago, I had just moved into my first place of my own and had a full time job. I met my husband 9 days after my 20th birthday. And our first date was riding gravel roads in the country with a cooler full of beer and we had sex on a cliff overlooking the a lake at dawn.....um....yeah...I was pregnant the next month, and 2 months after that I was married.

Lesson: Don't do it my way.

[LixyChick]

Oh boy! Um...at 20 y/o I was in the midst of a long term relationship that lasted till I was 24 (from 14 y/o) and I thought he was the love of my life and he was my "first" and I assumed we would marry.

Whew! So glad that never happened!

"Dating" back then consisted of hanging out at the arcade or going to dances or in my case, hanging at a friends house and listening to the band my b/f was in while they jammed and jammed and jammed...and never had a real gig! LMFAO! Oh...and finding new things to get us high! Yikes!