Here’s a hypothetical: You ask out your crush, your crush agrees, you’re ecstatic, she’s ecstatic. What do you do? You jump on Facebook and change your relationship status from “single” to *click click* “in a relationship with.” Who wouldn’t? There’s something gratifying about sharing your romantic conquests with friends and family, and the “likes” feel good, too. You’ve got the likes, the congratulatory texts and the embarrassing comments from grandma, so what’s next?
That’s the question. What do we lovestruck teenagers “do” with our newfound companion? We can feature them in the occasional Instagram, give each other shout outs on Twitter and capture candids for “My Story” on Snapchat. We can give off the impression of connection through excessive networking, but often, there really isn’t one.
What ever happened to the teenage romance of the 1980s? It’s Friday night, a boy meets up with his girlfriend at Johnny Rockets, they split a milkshake, stop by the drive-in theater for a flick and get home just in time for bed. These days, the average date night consists of blue-lit faces and flash-blindness. Couples can’t just sit back and enjoy each other’s company anymore without constantly checking their Twitter feeds and Fantasy Football matchups.
The teenage connection is dwindling. Every time a boyfriend checks his notifications during a meal or a girlfriends ops for a selfie over small talk, the couple loses some of the magic. Every time “bae” starts playing Candy Crush during a conversation, the couple loses some of the magic, and for teens, losing that magic is tragic. A high school crush is something that every person should experience at some point, but once we allow Candy Crush to overrule the high school crush, we have a problem.
The next time you feel that vibrating pocket during a movie or get a Snapchat from your buddy during dinner, ignore it. Next time you feel the urge to change your “relationship status” on Facebook, ignore it. There’s no “refresh” button on your first love, so tilt your head up to 90 degrees, look your crush in the eyes and enjoy them.
