Love on the run: Love VS Infatuation

One more month of being 23, I am still a kid in all the fields, especially about Love. However, the kid’s observations are always the clearest ones, aren’t they? I have to admit, dating culture is quite an interesting topic to talk about. If you have a chance to study abroad, then I would recommend leaving your study rooms sometimes and dating someone. Of course, nobody can guarantee anything, but at least, the adventure would be worth it (more or less).

I grew up in Vietnam, from the South. We meet people through volunteer groups, friend of friends, neighbors, family’s friends, family’s matchmaker’s friends (of course everyone can become matchmaker there), etc. Dating process in Vietnamese culture is already a labeled thing. It might take very long for a guy to get his courage together to start dating a girl. But it doesn’t take too long from dating into in a relationship, probably just couple weeks. It is fast, but it is clear. If you are interested, you are my potential boyfriend/girlfriend. There are no such things “in between”.

In America, “why so serious” has become a typical meme. I feel like everything runs faster here, even love. California is considered the most fun state to live, where people are (mostly) carefree and enjoyable. More importantly, the state is the center of national technology, and San Francisco is supposed to be America’s technopolis (yes, it’s a word now). It soon will become a capital of the future. We all agree that technology has changed a lot of things, sometimes better, sometimes not. I went on couple dates, with whom I knew from school, at the restaurant where I work, from friends, from nowhere (like online dating apps). From my short experience being an international student, I know that studying abroad is awesome, yet it is lonely. It is the same with other young people living in the bay area. They live in a big city, yet they feel isolated. It is easy to find an excuse for ourselves to find someone to be with, not because we are ready, but we are afraid to be lonely.

Then, we fall in a trap called “infatuation”, when we thought we were in love with someone. In today’s world, technology ruins the true romantic mood, unfortunately. We start losing our sense of wonder and we assume more via online profiles. One thing leads to another thing, assumption, and chemistry make infatuation more real. However, infatuation is actually blind. It is fragile and will shatter when life is not perfect. As you know, life is perfectly imperfect. That’s when you realize what love is. It’s strong, and it strengthens because it is real. Therefore, don’t rush yourself to find someone to fall in love, because love will find you someday, it just happens. I still believe it.

It’s the end of July now. I don’t know what it is about turning 24, or 25, 30 that has me, well, quietly freaking out. Keep smiling, though.