Dating!

     This week in class we talked about mate selection...aka DATING! Yep, dating. How can you not love doing to school and taking a class where you spend a whole week talking about your love life, right?! Well, luckily there is a lot of actual research about dating and mate selection rather than simply listening to disaster date stories!
     So I think it goes without saying that physical attraction is one major way in which people find their mate. Why though? Are we just a society of really shallow people? I would definitely say no! Physical attraction is one thing you can tell without knowing anything about the person. It is an initial way of filtering through the thousands of people you see around you that are potential mates. Which is a second form of filtering... propinquity, meaning you would actually have a chance of crossing each others paths. Other factors such as similarity, familiarity, and your past life experiences and dating experience, just to name a few.
     After you have filtered through the possible mates, you find someone who you want to get to know further or to date. what is a date? Elder Oaks tells us that a date requires the three "p's": planned, paid for, and pair off. A date should have a plan! There should be beginning and end time set and not a lot of empty time in between. To have the date paid for is important. Know you have the money to cover the date but also make sure all the resources are in place for the date. Even if it doesn't cost any money you should make sure that the people or other items you need in order to help you make the date possible are prepared. To be pair doesn't just mean two people on out with each other specifically, though this is important too. Pair off also mean that you each have a responsibility for the welfare of each other for the time you are together.
    Then after we spend time together and are in a committed relationship how to do know how well you "know" them? I think this is a valid question though. We discussed a theory called the "know quo". It proposes that in order to know someone you need the three "t's" talk, time, and togetherness. To talk mean to spend time getting to know each other. Talk about important things and both share equally with each other. Then through time you have the opportunity to see your partner in a variety of situations as well which will further your knowledge of each other. Finally, togetherness allows you to experience events that might simulate what married would be like.
   Though dating can be ...not fun to say the least it is very important. The person we choose to marry and have our families with is the most important decision we'll ever make in this life. Let us be wise about our decision because families are forever!