RELATIONSHIPS

Avoid bad breath, don’t pick partners when drunk: ancient dating tips to find modern love. Henryk Siemiradzki via Wikimedia Commons To love and be loved is something most people want in their lives. In the modern world, we often see stories about the difficulties of finding love and the trials of dating and marriage. Sometimes, the person we love doesn’t love us. Sometimes, we don’t love the person who loves us. Ancient Greeks and Romans also had a lot to say about this subject. In fact, most of the issues people face today in their search for love are already mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman literature. So, what did they say? And is the advice they put forward still relevant for modern people? Advice for finding a lover The Roman poet Ovid (43BCE–17CE) wrote a poem called The Ar...

Ghosting and ‘breadcrumbing’: the psychological impact of our bad behavior on dating apps. Every single day, thousands of people around the world use dating apps to strike up conversations with strangers, with the supposedly mutual objective of finding a partner. However, placing blind trust in others’ intentions is the first mistake that many users make – the person on the other side of the screen might not actually be in search of true love, or anything resembling it. In fact, several studies have highlighted that people use dating apps for all manner of reasons, ranging from conversation to just nosing around other profiles. When it comes to dating apps, the quest for true love is evidently the last thing on many people’s minds. Far from a utilitarian matchmaking tool, dating apps more...

Choosing singlehood? Here are 5 tips for thriving while being single. Many people spend their 20s and 30s figuring out who they are and building a life as an independent adult. At the same time, society often tells them they should be looking for love, settling down and starting a family. These milestones are still widely seen as markers of adulthood and success. But what does this mean for the growing number of singles in their 20s and 30s? In Canada, singlehood among young adults has been steadily increasing. Despite these changing trends, cultural narratives continue to centre romantic relationships as the ideal. Being single is still often seen as a temporary stage, rather than a legitimate or fulfilling way of life. As an associate professor, I lead the Singlehood Experiences and Co...

Am I an "Old Maid"? If this is a question you are asking yourself than there are some important things you should know first. Historically, an "Old Maid" is someone that is alone, shy, unsocial able, and shows no signs of changing that. People that usually fit this profile are not always happy with that they want to change; this is because they do not know how or are scared to try. This usually leads to unhealthy living habits, such as obesity, loneliness, obsession, and are easily lured into situations by people that take advantage of them. One way to avoid being an "Old Maid" is to be around people in social settings. No one says you cannot be alone and independent, but you should communicate with other people to keep current and avoid being lonely. The more you stay up to date without ...