I have to admit. I’m old-fashioned. I’m old skool. I’m a traditional guy, you know. The type that will never use cliché quotes. But desperate times call for desperate measures. If you can’t change your circumstances, change your perspective. Never waste a good crisis. So yeah, new decade, new year, new me => new start, new experiences. All in the name of love, a virtual date.
I think I’ve never video chatted with a girl prior to going on a date with her. I’m pretty sure I’ve never had an online date before. Until recently, I actually rarely used video to communicate. I believe in the power of the written word (and the power of choosing when to respond). But I never stop learning because life never stops teaching. Growth and comfort don’t coexist. Nothing ever becomes real until it’s experienced. You do become quickly used to the whole video call thing. First, you act like someone with social anxiety disorder. Seconds later, you captivate the audience like an influential vlogger.
I actually enjoyed this online date. A positive experience. Just getting to know each other better while being able to observe. No distractions. There’s little to hide, except maybe my Justin Bieber poster against the wall, and nowhere to go. The moment is real but also limited. I’d not call it boring. It’s more that the shared reality and adventure is not as strong as if it would be in real life.
Some people are skilled in texting, others are talented in making beautiful pictures. Nothing against putting yourself in a good light but that sometimes creates wrong expectations, especially if you can’t live up to them in real life. It’s like going to a live concert of your favourite band but finding out that the Spotify playlist will be played. You feel tricked. A little video session never killed nobody.
But I also think that the magic of going on a first date is precisely the unknown. The thrill and the emotional rollercoaster is in the finding out. A first date almost always tops the subsequent ones in terms of aliveness. There’s more tension, surprise and curiosity. Do we want to take all this away?
I know you’re all dying to know how long we were on the line. Well, 1 hour and 49 minutes, after which my battery died.
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