Changing love

Technology reinvented the meaning of dating, and its grasp on teens affects sex, communication and boundaries. “Because of technology, there might even be more casual dating,” said health teacher Roxy Myhre. “When I was in high school, it was very common for people to be dating all through high school.”

Even with some modern changes, dating may not have dramatically changed over recent decades. Although teens and dating culture have changed, Myhre said “the dates themselves are still the same.” She went on to discuss how, even though dating used to be more personal and private, it really hasn’t changed that much.

When details do adjust with time, teens are faced with hard choices about dating. Young people today do not feel as much pressure to date for the purpose of finding a spouse, said Myhre. “We have more single Americans in our country than we have married Americans, and that’s never happened before,” she said, pointing out a bright side.

A downside, as mentioned earlier, is boundaries. Myhre said that relationships are more physical now, but there are ways to stay away from the increasing appeal of sex. About boundaries she said, “Think about what you want them to be, have them before you even meet anybody and be confident enough to stick to those and not compromise those.”

Perhaps it doesn’t matter what changes there are or what changes there might be in the future. What matters is the values that individuals and couples choose for themselves, she said.