Conquering the great outdoors, together
By Julia Siedlanowska, Staff Writer
When going on a first date, thereâs nothing worse than awkward silences. Although itâs not any guarantee, taking your date into the fresh air might just spice up your life and garner some good impressions. The dinner and a movie model is tried and tested, but dating outdoors is a lot more fun.
These days it seems like everybody I know is dating someone they met while travelling. The number of long-distance relationships around me has increased since everyone I know is travelling the world.
Most of us are in our 20s, getting in some fun while weâre still young, and societal pressures of âsettling downâ havenât yet grabbed ahold of us. But why is it that love leaps in when we are abroad? It probably has something to do with the sense of abandon we feel when something is fleeting, we are happy, and we are learning new things.
When travelling, we are forced into situations where we are meeting new people and spending time outside sightseeing. However, for many of us a trip abroad is currently out of the question, being tied down by rent payments and school. Thatâs why itâs important to create mini-vacations close to home. If youâre in the dating scene and think that all the great people are hiding under rocks, go outside and look under some rocks!
If PlentyOfFish isnât working for you, and you arenât meeting any interesting people at Venue, maybe take on a new sport or visit some beaches youâve never been to. Personally, I like outdoorsy people, and I like surprises. Sure, hiking the Squamish Chief wonât be everybodyâs idea of a perfect date, but for the right person, it might just be the opportunity to truly connect. In my experience, people act differently when they are on an adventure surrounded by nature. I find that when you meet people camping or at an outdoor music festival, they are outside of their everyday environment and willing to expose parts of themselves they might have closed to the city.
Take your next date on an outdoor adventure and see what happens. If your date takes you on a trail or a hike youâve never been on, even if the date was an absolute flop, at least youâve got a new hike to do with your dog. Askmen.com lists exploring the great outdoors, ice skating, and going out to the driving range as ideal outdoor first date activities. Pack a cute picnic and go to the beach, at least if you have nothing to talk about, you can sunbathe! Vitamin D levels rise in the sunshine, and that light makes people happy and relaxed. Take advantage of the hot weather, because there will be plenty of rainy days to stay in.
In the end, itâs all about shared experiences. When my current partner and I started dating, we went out to parties together, we conquered the world. Now we are in the seemingly inevitable phase of comfort where we would rather stay in and watch a movie at night. People get into patterns, but the thing I always forget is how simple it is to break out of them. Iâve started making an effort to spend less time indoors and more time out in the world. Iâve realized that Iâm happiest when Iâm meeting new people and spending time in the world of realityâand not online.
