Dating Before the one...

Where Emily is the pilot, consider me the co-pilot (pun intended). I am a “Professional dater" on a different facet. I have dated most all types of men in all types of ways, and the reason I am such a huge believer in Paper Airplane is because of MY dating journey and the process to actual success.

At the time I met my husband, I too, actively utilized dating apps. I mean, I AM a millennial. I’m technological addicted to having the world affirm how great I am. Just read my “About Me”, I’m great, now swipe right! But after hundreds of messages, few of substance, the greatest connections I made were those that happened in real time, not virtually. 

I was living with other single girlfriends at the time. We had all recently ended toxic relationships and we were looking for a fresh start. We piggybacked each other in support, helping to cultivate response messages to send to possible suitors. Most days we would dress up and head out on the town, hopping around Newport bars, looking for the best scenes. We never had trouble meeting men, in fact, they flocked to us. We collected numbers and lived out the week, date by date, then come the weekend, we would do it all over again. The problem with dating apps is that the only void they filled were the empty hours in my day. By the time I met up with the people I met on apps, I had already established stronger connections with those I met in person. Sometimes, after countless messages back and forth, I never even met up with certain people simply because of inconvenience, which is such a waste of time. Juggling an online dating presence and real-time life is exhausting. Why waste time on apps that don’t fulfill the desire of the user. Users want to meet in person, that is the end goal. Paper Airplane gets us there faster, especially for those who may not be so fortunate in circumstance. 

Maybe you don’t exude confidence when you’re out? Maybe you don’t have a group of single friends to go out with? Maybe you struggle approaching people? Maybe every bar you walk into seemingly has men or women way older or younger than you’re interested in? Maybe, you just can’t catch a break?! Dating is a tricky bitch. But do not fret, I am here for you! 

Just to assure you I have been there, done that, too. I am listing 10 guys I dated before the one. To build some credibility, ya know?

1. The guy who is way more into you, than you are into him but you date him anyway because breaking-up is hard to do.

2. The guy who make you understand the, "don't hate the player, hate the game" motto.

3. The guy who you think is your soul mate until you sober up. 

4. The guy who fits the description of everything you thought you wanted and forces you to realize that maybe ‘Hedge fund, suck the fun out of the room and wears a sweater vest isn’t really your thing after all.

5. The guy who you know is all wrong for you, is most definitely a druggie, but you have fun together so you decide you are going to ride it out until it ‘stops being fun’ or you run out of jail bond money. (yikes)

6. The guy who splits the bill.

7. The guy who turns out to be a complete sociopath. (Usually, the same guy who is “inherently wealthy”)

8. The guy who turns you into the type of girl who goes through her boyfriend’s phone. 

9. The guy who enlists in the army and wants you to “wait for him”.

10.The guy with a kid and come to find … a wife.

Then eventually you’ll date the guy who makes you realize loving ain't so hard to do... AKA ‘The One’.