“In college I would definitely say hooking up is 100 percent more common than dating.”
This is the culture young people now live in, consumed with social media and internet connections, instead of real personal interactions.
“Dating is...
something that...
I don't know, I don't know...
dang...”
As a result, almost 10 years ago, Boston College professor Kerry Cronin Ph.D. started, The Dating Assignment. It was an extra credit assignment in her class based on these 12 rules. They include asking an actual romantic interest out in person, spending $10 and only giving a hug at the end.
KERRY CRONIN, Ph.D.
Boston College Professor
“I realized that students were dating and I sort of was finding out things about hookup culture and I thought, 'Well this is crazy.' So I started asking students to go on what I called traditional dates.”
Now, her idea has taken form in this documentary, “The Dating Project.” It is five single people searching for love and meaningful relationships, while discovering what true vulnerability is through face-to-face interaction.
On April 17, for one night in theaters across North America, this film will attempt to restore dating in society. From planning the date in advance, to being transparent about the relationship all the way through, there is a lot to learn when one takes their eyes off their phone and locks them with the eyes of another.