Dating dead? This study offers hope by showing that novel for old school is still alive and healthy

The acquaintances received a bad representative in the era of smartphones timed to dating, likes, fingers and several stages of the conversation. Some are disappointed, swinging completely meeting, condemning the popular saying “a lot of fish in the sea” when the “sea” is contaminated. But does it seem that the situation is so terrible as it seems? It turns out, there is still hope, a ray of light outside the daily culture of connection.

Also read: No luck with dating? The connection coach shares tips on how to find the best fish in the sea in 2025

A study published in personal relationships, published on the Internet in January 2025, showed that the younger generation still finds love in an old-fashioned way.

Old-fashioned acquaintances still exist in the digital era

The study included researchers at the University of Illinois. They looked at how college students described a romantic relationship. What they did was compare how students describe a romantic relationship, decade apart 2012 and 2022 to understand the changes. However, they are almost similar. This shows that digital instruments may have formed the romance approach, but not how romance unfolds. Even students described that they did not place technology at the center of their romantic life. Technology has improved communication, text messages and calls, but it does not dictate how love develops. College students explained how the most romantic relationships begin as membership.

Four stages of romance

The study based on how the romance was described, classified it into 4 main stages. All four stages were present on the 2012 romantic journey, as well as 2022. Here are four stages that were shared by researchers:

• Flirt: This is the initial phase when they introduce someone. But they are not yet found because they find out chemistry. Here they can flirt either a lot to talk, either personally or on the Internet.
• Relations potential: They start spending more time together, but not officially couples. By checking the water to see the potential. They start going on a date to understand whether it can be valid.
• In the relationship: Here, when they become official and call each other a friend/guy/partner. They meet with friends and family. In this phase, they are also physically and emotionally growing closely.
• Landlessness either bust: At this stage, the couple evaluates the long -term communication potential. They either oblige together to the future or decide to part. This stage may include serious commitments such as marriage.

Thus, technologies did not necessarily intervene in the path of romance, but instead only improved communication. The essence is that the dating is not dead or broken. Perhaps this is a little different, but even now the younger generation still cares about the Romas-School, finding it out as it is, like 10 years ago.

Note for readers: This article is intended only for information purposes rather than to replace professional advice.