10 brutally honest differences between dating as a student and dating as a working adult

Last Updated on 2016-05-20 , 11:52 am

Being a working adult now, the differences between dating presently and back then as a student is obviously identifiable. Looking back, it was actually much simpler when we were dating as awkward, gullible and clueless students.

Here are 10 brutally honest differences between dating as a student and dating as a working adult. Can you relate to them?

Pond and Sea
When dating as a student, often than not, it’s always someone within your circle of friends or within your school compound. Your dating scene was literally a pond. As an adult, you finally get to ‘fish in the sea’ but even so, it’s still difficult, if not even more so, to find someone decent to date, no?

Dating Locations
For students, your dates mostly take place within the school compound, especially during recess time. When it’s not during school days, walking around the mall aimlessly is another favourite of students. Working adults go for classy dinner dates during the early stages of dating, then coffee shops after that. Dating these days is just too expensive.

Curfews
Being a student, you’re always checking your watch to make sure you don’t stay out past your curfew or else, your mum and dad are gonna have a fit and then you can say bye-bye to dating ever again. Being an adult, sometimes you wished you still had curfews.

Selective
Back then as a student, you didn’t care much if the person you are dating can provide security, has a car, is employed etc. I like you, you like me, it’s as simple as that. When you’re a working adult, you have a long checklist of qualities your date has to have. Standards are everything these days.

What’s the deal?
If you are a student and just started dating someone, the whole school will suddenly know about it. From your friends to your classmates to your schoolmates to your teachers even. It was a big deal. As a working adult, no one really gives a shit anymore.

The Gifts
When you were still a student, nothing much is expected from you. Exchanging simple gifts like stuffed toy animals and handmade cards was already romantic enough. Now as a working adult, the bars are raised every day! Expensive jewellery, designer handbags, exotic holiday trips, etc. are just some of the things you cannot give.

Transportation
Remember when you have yet to get your driver’s license and had to still use public transport to go out on a date or get your mum or dad to drop you off? Yea, good times. Now that you’re a full-fledged working adult, and if you own your own transport, you have to pick your date up and go on dates is an essential part of living.

Lying
When you were a student, sometimes you had to resort to lying just so you can go on a date with your boyfriend/girlfriend because your parents were so against it. Sometimes, you might even be desperate enough to sneak out of the house.  Gone are those days now that you’re a working adult. It actually killed the thrill.

How technology plays a role in communication
When you were a student or teenager, it used to be going online on MSN or Yahoo to chat, SMS and you actually spoke a lot on the phone too. Now that you’re a working adult, WhatsApp seems to be the most dominant mean of communicating with one another. SMS is now a thing of the past and so is REAL communication. Sadly.

Commitment
For most students who are dating, commitment is about staying together until you have to go your separate ways after graduation. It’s the easiest way out of a relationship back then because the reason is legit. Now that you’re a working adult, commitment means thinking about your future together, settling down, starting a family, making sure you’ll be buried next to each other when you die etc. It’s a big deal, this commitment thing.

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