Considering the idea of maintaining a friendship with an ex might initially seem appealing, it is essential to take into account the potential drawbacks.
Here are three compelling reasons why staying friends with your ex may not be advisable, focusing on how it can impede your ability to move on and hinder personal growth.
Emotional Baggage Hinders Healing: Regular interaction with an ex can reopen emotional wounds and impede the healing process. Lingering feelings and emotional attachment may persist, making it challenging for both parties to move on and embrace new opportunities.
Constant reminders of the past can hinder the emotional closure necessary for personal growth.
New Relationships May Be Hindered: Staying friends with an ex could complicate future romantic relationships. Jealousy, insecurity, or discomfort may arise, affecting your ability to connect deeply with a new partner.
Your ex-partner may feel uneasy witnessing your new relationships, creating tension and hindering the establishment of healthy connections.
Maintaining distance provides space for both individuals to explore new connections without the shadows of the past.
Unrealistic Expectations Can Lead to Disappointment: Remaining friends with an ex introduces new challenges, and the transition may not be as seamless as hoped. Unresolved issues, unspoken expectations, and unmet emotional needs may persist, resulting in disappointment and frustration.
Recognizing that the friendship may not replicate its previous form is crucial to avoiding unrealistic expectations. Holding onto unrealistic expectations can hinder personal growth and the ability to cultivate authentic, new connections.
While the initial notion of staying friends with an ex may offer comfort, it is vital to weigh the potential consequences. Embracing personal growth and moving on from a past relationship requires a certain level of detachment.
Allowing oneself the space to heal and explore new connections opens the door to new possibilities and fosters a healthier emotional state.
Establishing a connection with mama’s boys can be challenging, but understanding and compromise can foster a meaningful relationship.
Here are tips for making it work if you’re in love with one.
1. Understand his bond with his mother: Try to understand the nature of the relationship he has with his mother.
Is it healthy and supportive, or does it cross boundaries? Knowing this can help you navigate potential challenges.
2. Communication: Encourage open and honest communication between you and your partner. Discuss your feelings, concerns, and expectations about the relationship, including how his relationship with his mother may impact your dynamic.
3. Set boundaries: Establish healthy boundaries that respect both your relationship and his relationship with his mother. Discuss and agree on what is acceptable in terms of involvement and influence from family members.
4. Be supportive: Instead of viewing his connection with his mother as a threat, be supportive and understanding. Show interest in his family and try to build a positive relationship with his mother.
5. Encourage independence: Help your partner develop a sense of independence. Encourage him to make decisions on his own and not rely solely on his mother for guidance.
This can help him grow as an individual and strengthen your relationship.
6. Include his mother: Include his mother in your plans occasionally, whether it’s family gatherings or casual dinners. Involving her can help create a sense of inclusion and reduce potential tension.
7. Find common ground: Identify common interests and values between you and his mother. This can help foster a connection and create a more harmonious relationship between all parties involved.
8. Avoid ultimatums: Refrain from issuing ultimatums, as they can strain the relationship. Instead, focus on compromise and finding solutions that work for both of you.
9. Cultivate your relationship: Nurture your relationship with your partner. Focus on building a strong connection, shared goals, and mutual respect. A solid foundation can withstand external pressures more effectively.
While certain women are strategizing for success, aiming to independently provide for themselves, others are seemingly relying on men to secure their future.
A South African woman appears to be part of the latter group, patiently anticipating a fortunate turn of events facilitated by the men in her life.
Expressing her perspective, she firmly believes that it is futile for any woman to engage in a relationship with a man incapable of offering financial support.
She posted: “Dating a man who can’t help you financially is a waste of time!!”
See screenshot below:
Her comments didn’t sit down well with some men and women who took to the comment section of the post to bash her for putting unnecessary pressure on men.
@Krugersville:“You guys like pressuring men for no reason and it’s very disgusting , where the fuck were y’all getting money before he came in”
@MandyCoom:“It definitely not, a man can give you more than just money.”
@Shwabade:“Why don’t you help yourself ? Actually where’s your family in all of this ?”
@ButtahCuupB:“This why most of yall still single and lonely. yall don’t care about a nigga making you smile no more huh !? just money”
@Brayoo_briann:“Until I put a & ring on your finger, your financial burdens remains entirely your responsibility. NOT MINE. any help I render is from the good of my heart ?. Some women & think just because they look good Men owe them Money…”
My boyfriend and I have been dating for the past two years. Although we are in the same year at university, we go to different universities and only communicate through calls and messages.
The problem is, for the last three months, he has not answered my calls or replied my messages. When I asked why, he said he is not ready for a serious relationship and wants us to be friends. Now he has turned around saying he still wants me in his life and I should wait for him to commit.
The question is, is he just wasting my time?
Dating while at the University can be stressful at times. Although it can be fun, it can also have ups and downs. Some relationships at this level can be stable and somewhat healthy and others might end up in future marriages.
It is also assumed that at this level, many students are inexperienced and, therefore, can make many mistakes unless they are intentional about learning from those much older and in stable relationships, attend relationship coaching or even read from other sources.
You mentioned that your boyfriend had not answered your calls for three months but at the same time, he is back and asking you to wait as he commits. This in itself is a message.
Each of you contributes 50 percent in a healthy relationship and every time one is doing 80 percent and the other much less, it is usually a red flag that something is not right.It is during dating that people have more to say to one another.
If your boyfriend tends not to return calls and you keep calling them, they might not value the time and sacrifice you put into the relationship. Make use of this period to focus on your improvement either academically, spiritually, or even socially.
Loving and knowing yourself is an important part of being in a happy relationship. This enables you to grow your worth and protects you from being vulnerable to risky behaviour.
Taking good care of yourself will ignite self-love and later, you will be able to notice how much time you are investing in this relationship.
Take time to find other pleasurable things you can do during this period as opposed to just waiting for your boyfriend to make up his mind.
Waiting will only fuel anxiety within you and even cause other unwanted behaviours. Giving your boyfriend time as you engage totally in different active activities, especially academics, is the best way to go.
Evaluate the relationship in terms of what you have learnt; was it a happy relationship or one full of arguments and fights? As much as all relationships face conflict, it is also important to be able to maintain a healthy relationship for a reasonable time.
A well-known Ghanaian rapper, Okyeame Kwame, has stated that he never broke Ghanaian actress and media personality, Nana Ama McBrown’s heart.
The comment was made in reaction to Okyeame Kwame’s Facebook post, in which he invited his admirers to openly apologize to individuals they had mistreated in the past.
In the post sighted by GhanaWeb, Okyeame Kwame wrote, “Let the tough people say sorry. @Adjettey Annan just said sorry. Can you do the same? I am saying sorry to Mavis for breaking your heart 20 years ago. Let the healing begin.”
Among the fans who responded by offering apologies, one named Agnes Bimpong specifically inquired about Nana Ama McBrown.
She inquired, “What about Empress Nana Ama Macbrown? Please, won’t you say sorry to her too? Or should I mind my own business?”
In response, Okyeame Kwame stated, “Agnes Bimpong, I didn’t break her heart.”
The fan praised Okyeame Kwame for his mature response, commenting, “Awwwww, my superstar, I’m shy, but this is what we call maturity at its peak. Thanks.”
There is a common belief that older men tend to prefer dating younger women as it serves as a nostalgic reminder of their own youthful days.
There are other beliefs that if an older man is dating a younger woman, he may be going through a midlife crisis, and hence, in order to feel good, they date someone who has a fresh approach to life.
Here are some reasons why men tend to date younger women.
The carefree approach to life
Older men prefer to be with younger women because the latter has a fresh, unique and more carefree attitude towards life that can make men feel less stressed or anxious. As men get older, they have to deal with a number of problems and amidst that, if they feel light-hearted with youthful banter, then so be it.
They don’t want to be called out
When people get older, they become much more assertive, straightforward and blunt, without a care in the world. Older women date younger women because the latter won’t usually call them out for their habits, as compared to what older women generally do. Older men do not want to be confronted with their issues.
Reminder of youth
As time passes, everyone wants to feel younger. Even though one’s age or health may portray otherwise, people look for things that can make them feel young. So, older men love to be with young women who are full of life, so that they can once again taste the sweetness of youthfulness.
Building connection
Generally, young women look to build strong connections, along with their careers, while young men are focused on making their life’s purpose significant. Older men realise with time, that they should’ve focused on their families and building connections more often. This is when young women and older men find a level of similarity that attracts them to each other.
Sexual intimacy
Older men are convinced that younger women are amazing in bed. They feel these women would be able to enjoy sex wholeheartedly, with the added bonus of greater flexibility and spontaneity, as compared to older women.
Prophet Kumchacha, the Founder and Leader of Heaven’s Gate Ministries, Nicholas Osei, has once again made a stir on social media by delivering a series of controversial statements.
Prophet Kumchacha, who intends to contest for the presidency in 2024, has revealed that hardship in the country has forced young ladies to date, multiple men.
He told Amansan Krakye, the host, that majority of ladies nowadays keep more than one boyfriends just to be able to make ends meet.
“Most of the youth are so hungry in this country because of the hardships and difficulties from bad governance. Due to the hardship in the system, if you pick about 100 ladies in Ghana it is only 20 of them that have only one boyfriend,” he claimed.
“The rest of the 80 ladies left have multiple boyfriends with some having as many as four to five simultaneously,” he added.
Buttressing his point further, he added, “Because they should have those who buy phones for her, those who pay her rent allowance and those who pay for her hairdo due to the hardships.
Depending who you ask, dating apps are either a wonderful place where someone could meet their lifelong partner, or an absolute hellscape where the worst humans congregate. The anonymity of the internet plus the awkwardness of dating means there are plenty of strange individuals on the apps. Here are some of the most annoying types and habits.
Ghosters
Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way. In a world where it takes two seconds to reply to someone, there’s little reason to completely ghost anyone. It comes across as a cowardly way to turn someone down, although exceptions can be made if the person in question was being particularly toxic.
Bad greeters
With a selection of photos and a detailed bio presented as a first glimpse into any user’s life, the average person should seemingly have no problem picking out something interesting to initiate conversation, such as complimenting a pet or celebrating a shared interest. Despite all this, far too many people on dating apps open with a simple “hey” or “hello” leaving the conversation dead before it started.
Multi-day repliers
No one is expecting you to be glued to your phone every second—in fact, it’s probably better you’re not. That said, people who consistently take multiple days to reply to a message are simply exhausting. It’s difficult to carry on a conversation or make any sort of plans if you’re waiting two to four business days for each response.
Fluent in sarcasm
If the person you’re talking to claims they are “fluent in sarcasm” as part of their bio, chances are you’re watching them raise a red flag as you speak. While sarcasm is a great way to convey comedy, anyone that proudly overdoes it can be a nightmare to try and speak to.
Bad conversationalists
A good conversation is like a tennis match with plenty of back and forth and the two participants setting the other one up. However, many people seem to think their one-word replies with no follow-up are enough and then are shocked when the conversation dies down. If you’re not putting energy into it, don’t be surprised when people lose interest.
‘The Office’ is their personality
The Office is a fantastic television show, with a cast of wonderful characters. However, you are neither Jim Halpert nor Pam Beesly, and shouting quotes and references does not count as having a conversation. If the person idolizes Michael Scott and friends, chances are that they don’t have much else going on.
Out-of-date photos
Let’s not beat around the bush here: physical attraction is a massively important factor in dating. So when someone uses severely out-of-date photos that don’t accurately represent what they currently look like, it’s extremely deceptive and an awful way to attempt to initiate a relationship.
Visiting from out of town
If you’re on the apps just to hook up, then more power to you, but be sure to let the other person know early in the conversation or in your bio. Dropping in the fact that you’re just visiting from out of town and will be leaving in a few days several hours into a match is a quick way to waste the time of someone who was looking for a more meaningful connection.
Long list of demands
Some people really have the audacity to show up with a list of demands as if they’re the star of The Bachelor and everyone only exists to compete for them. If your bio or initial messages include a description of how your ideal match should look, act, behave, and dress, just do us all a favour and delete your account.
Boundary breakers
This one became especially apparent during the pandemic, when everyone had different boundaries for how safe they felt going out and meeting people. If you don’t respect someone’s boundaries over meeting up, that’s a big red flag for how you’ll react to other issues of trust and consent.
Too good for dating apps
The irony of seeing “I hate dating apps” or “We can tell our friends we met somewhere else” in a dating app is too funny to not take notice of. It’s also another red flag for someone who bathes in their own hypocrisy. Dating apps have become more normalized than ever and acting like you’re better than them when you clearly aren’t is just strange.
Clout farmers
Having your Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, and whatever else linked in your bio makes it pretty clear that you’re mostly on here to farm followers and don’t really care about matching with anyone. Focus more on making good content instead of wasting time on the wrong apps.
Name puns
Dating apps have gone through a few metas of what is the right thing to say during matches and none are more overused than the name puns. I’m sure any woman with a name like Karen, Jenny, or Lucy can tell you the sheer amount of repetitive cultural references she’s had to put up with during her time online.
Too many group photos
Okay, so you want me to date you but… I can’t figure out who you are? Trying to determine who your potential match is by playing some sort of logic game where you narrow down candidates from photo to photo requires far more work than anyone is willing to do on these dating apps.
Catfishes
Not only is catfishing a cruel way to waste someone’s time, it’s borderline sociopathic. Pretending to be someone you’re not, for attention or more nefarious purposes, is one of the worst ways you could mess with someone and potentially really damage them emotionally.
Source: msn.com
DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s, and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana
An insider has rebutted claims that American actor and film producer Leonardo DiCaprio is dating a 19-year-old girl.
Last week, reports surfaced that the Titanic actor was dating 19-year-old model Eden Polani after the two were spotted hanging out together at a music release party in Los Angeles. However, a source has told TMZ they’re not romantically involved.
According to the outlet, DiCaprio and Polani coincidentally sat together at the party, and “were hanging in the same group.” The source went on to say “just because Leo might be talking to or sitting with a girl doesn’t mean he’s dating her.”
The last time DiCaprio was in a serious relationship was with Camila Morrone. The two called things off after four years of dating, as reported last August. Throughout the course of their time together, the former couple kept things private. It wasn’t until February 2020 that they made their public debut as a couple, attending the Oscars. The reason for their split remains unclear.
In December 2019, Morrone defended their 22-year age gap, saying others shouldn’t be worried about their business. “There’s so many relationships in Hollywood—and in the history of the world—where people have large age gaps. I just think anyone should be able to date who they want to date,” she explained.
Since Morrone, DiCaprio has had multiple flings, including Gigi Hadid and Victoria Lamas. The actor is not looking for anything serious at the moment, a source told TMZ. In fact, he was recently spotted on a luxury yacht in St. Barts with a number of different women by his side.
A 40-year-old man has sparked passionate debate after revealing he has been keeping a secret – he is dating his brother-in-law’s niece, who is 20 years younger than him
We can’t help who we fall in love with, but sometimes people will have strong opinions on who that ends up being.
For one couple with a 20-year age gap, they haven’t been confident enough to tell their families about their relationship.
They not only have a considerable difference in age, but they are technically part of the same extended family – although not related by blood – and aren’t sure how relatives would react if they knew.
Taking to Reddit’s Age Gap forum, the 40-year-old user explained that his 20-year-old girlfriendis actually his brother-in-law’s niece.
Explaining the situation further, the anonymous user said: “We never met before until a year ago, and we hit it off immediately.”
The couple are not blood related, but part of the same extended family (stock photo)
The man continued: “We’re keeping it a secret as we’ve got no idea how either family would take it, especially my brother-in-law who I have a good relationship with.
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“But keeping it under the lid is not really something that can go on, for a multitude of reasons.”
His story sparked an intense debate in the comment section, with some believing his situation is “just messy”.
Another user said: “There are literally millions of 20-year-olds you could date, and you chose someone who’s family because? Just call it what it is: An Awful Idea.”
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A third added: “Age gap relationships are fine under the right circumstances, this is not one of them.
Covid and flu spread more quickly in winter
“Just want to add that dating inside your family, whether blood related or not, is just disgusting.”
After being asked why he went for a “family member,” the user explained that they don’t see each other in that ay because up until a year ago they were strangers.
He added: “This is extended in-laws family we’re talking.
“The thing is, when you get seduced in the heat of the moment, the milk is already spilled. The next day it was simply ‘f**k it, let’s see where this goes’ and here we are year later.
“We want to move in together, and this whole cloak and dagger thing is just silly at this point.”
Some didn’t feel like the situation was as controversial as others, with one person saying: “I find it amusing that so many people on this sub find this gross or disgusting.
“Being related by family is different than being related by blood. Nobody would care if you were dating her mother. The two of you met after she was an adult.”
How do you feel about the situation? Let us know in the comments below.
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Let’s face it; it’s not easy if you are single and want to be in a relationship. Dating apps technically should facilitate the process, as they give you access to thousands of peoplewho also want to meet someone.
However, dating apps also open up more opportunities to be ghosted and flat-out rejected. They force you to encounter fears and insecurities you might not want to confront.
The desire to meet someone “organically” (i.e., in daily life) also brings up similar issues that cause anxiety and distress.
As a psychologist, I frequently talk to single clients about their dating woes. Even when they rank meeting someone as one of their highest priority goals, they repeatedly avoid doing what it actually takes to meet that person. Often people talk themselves out of dating by buying into some commonly held dating myths.
Again and again, people hold onto these myths to protect themselves from getting hurt. It is as if they are saying, “If I can come up with an excuse to avoid doing this, I won’t have to deal with being rejected” (or whatever the dating fear might be for that person).
Here are some common myths about dating and how to see things differently:
Myth 1: I need to love myself before someone else can love me.
There are different iterations of this commonly held myth, including the belief that you must have most of your issues worked out before you can be in a successful relationship. Also related is the idea that to attract others, you need to feel confident and radiate that confidence.
Debunking Myth 1
Would it be great if you fully loved yourself, had most of your issues worked out, and felt confident and radiated this confidence? Absolutely!
Do most people feel this good about themselves most of the time? No!
Virtually everyone has negative core beliefs about themselves that get activated at times. Examples of negative core beliefs are:
I am unlovable
I am a failure
I am worthless
I am bound to be rejected
Stress, vulnerability, and emotional insecurity trigger these types of beliefs. Putting yourself out in the dating world opens you up to feeling, well, stressed, vulnerable, and insecure. Thus, dating is bound to trigger these negative core beliefs, especially after experiencing rejection or even thinking about the possibility of being rejected. So, you are less likely to feel like you love yourself when you are single and actively trying to meet someone else.
Keep in mind that when you do start a relationship with someone, it is highly possible to be in a healthy relationship with someone even if you still struggle with unresolved issues. You can work on these personal issues within the context of a healthy relationship.
Myth 2: Dating should be fun.
A minority of people luck out and have great dating experiences. Some people never like dating, and others have a lot of enthusiasm for it when they start out but quickly burn out when things don’t go as well as planned.
It feels like work, a common refrain I hear from people who are on dating apps.
Debunking Myth 2
Dating is often hard work. I often tell people who ascribe to this myth about my friend, a fellow psychologist, who wanted to meet someone after her brief marriage dissolved. “If you want to meet someone, you need to treat dating like a part-time job,” she said. Even though she had a full-time job, she managed to make dating her part-time one. This approach did indeed pay off, and she is now remarried and has three children with her second husband.
In addition, because of the negative core beliefs that often get activated during the dating process, understandably, it can be unpleasant and stressful.
Finally, when you think dating should be enjoyable, it puts even more pressure on it. If you aren’t having fun, it just makes the experience feel worse, making it more likely you will give up on the process.
Myth 3: I need to be motivated to date.
There is often a vast discrepancy between people’s desire to be in a relationship and the motivation to do what it takes to reach that goal. People frequently avoid going on dating apps or responding to messages because they aren’t motivated to do so.
Debunking Myth 3
It can be hard to be motivated to do something when it activates your negative core beliefs, and the chances of success are uncertain. While it is easier to do things when you are excited and motivated, you can still do things like dating and not have much motivation.
When motivation is a challenge, validate yourself about how challenging the process is, and also focus on why you are doing it and what you ultimately want to accomplish.
Focus on your values, not your fears.
Finally, when you are thinking about dating, but noticing some hesitation, focus on your goals and values and what is important to you. Remind yourself that many people struggle with the dating process, and it’s okay to be unenthusiastic about it. If it causes you stress and anxiety, that’s normal and expected. Acknowledge your fears, and then let your values guide your behavior.
Miss Doreen Smith, the nurse at the centre of the sexual case against the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Director for the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District, Mr. Mahama Sakara, has refuted reports that she was in an amorous relationship with the man.
Nkilgi FM, a local radio station in the Savannah region reported that it was a known news in the Sawla community that the victim and NHIS boss were lovers.
However, speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb, Miss Smith refuted the claims purported to justify why the NHIS sexually assaulted her whiles at post at the Soma CHPS Compound.
“I condemn whatever they are saying. It is never true. Please even if I’m dating him, my colleagues or the community in which the man is coming from can even testify. You can’t date a man and people around you will never know. Ever since, I was posted, I have never dated him.
Even when you listen to the recording, he said he had been following me for a very long time. I never invited the man to my house. The man came to the facility early in the morning. It was at the consulting room. When the incident happened, I reported him to the community assembly man and their chief,” she told GhanaWeb today July 17, 2020.
She reiterated that even if she was dating the said Mr. Sakara, he had no right to sexually assault her.
“Even If I’m dating him, or married to him, he has no right to force me to bed. He is with my colleague, why on earth will I also want to be in a relationship with him? I never accepted him.”
Miss Smith told revealed to GhanaWeb that, this was the second time the NHIS boss had stormed the facility to assault her. She reported the case to the Assemblyman, Chief and the Police because she was concerned about her safety.
“This is the second time, I didn’t want it to happen the 3rd time. That was why I reported the case.”
She therefore is challenging persons alleging that she was dating the Mr Sakara to come publicly with their facts and evidence.
“I want the person who is saying that, Alhassan or whoever it is to come out boldly. Please tell them, if anybody says Im dating the man, when we get to court, the person should come.”
Meanwhile, on the allegations that she was extorting money from residents, she has dared anyone with prove on that, to meet her in court.
“If anybody says I’m extorting money, when we get to court, the person should come there and also come and proof that yes, this is what Doreen was doing. I respect myself a lot, this is not the first time, the man (NHIS Boss) did this.”
Miss Doreen Smith has informed GhanaWeb, that she has since left the Sawla Community after the incident solely for sanity and safety reasons.
Background
Doreen Smith, a nurse working with the Soma CHPS Compound in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District has petitioned the NHIA to investigate Mahama Sakara, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Director for sexually assaulting her.
The nurse indicated that Mr Sakara had come to her CHPS compound under the guise of monitoring but turned around to make sexual advances at her.
She said that even though he did not succeed in having sex with her, the NHIA boss succeeded in fingering her in the process of struggle.
Jenny, a 29-year-old woman in Seattle, nursed a latte on her date with a man she’d met on the dating app Bumble.
With coronavirus cases trending in the city, he’d invited her out that Saturday for what they both knew these days might be a risky rendezvous.
Jenny, who asked that CNN leave out her last name for privacy reasons, said the Anchorhead coffee shop in the city’s downtown area was much less crowded than usual.
She and her date shared interests in sci-fi and books, and their coffee date went well. They made plans to see each other again.
Statewide bans slowed down the romance
But then Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee issued rules effectively shutting down bars and restaurants in the city.
Jenny told CNN she has a high threshold for going over to a date’s house and they’re not at that stage yet. So for now, they’re texting and making plans to play Nintendo online together.
Two thousand miles away in Chicago, a corporate attorney had just met a man on Hinge, another dating app. For professional reasons, she asked that her name not be used in this story.
The conversation was flowing, ranging from their favorite podcasts to which presidential candidates’ campaigns they’d volunteered for. They were ready to meet face-to-face.
But they didn’t get that far.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a similar ban closing all the places where they’d might be able to meet and kick off a fledgling courtship.
With 30 degree (Fahrenheit) temperatures in the Windy City, taking a walk or having picnic weren’t the most pleasant options either.
For now, they’ve settled on getting to know each other better over the phone calls.
Now that grabbing a drink with a potential lover feels almost like a seismic risk, millions of singles reckon with a dilemma as they seek love in the time of coronavirus.
Do you risk trying to meet someone or do you put love and intimacy on hold for weeks or even months?
As of March 12, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio wasn’t ready to rule out the quest for love. He got a dating question at a press conference, and said, “It is dangerous to stop living life.”
He advised to do basic due diligence before meeting someone new.
“I do think it’s fine to have a social life but you got to exercise some smart rules, right?” De Blasio said. “If you’re sick, don’t go on a date. If the date is sick, don’t go on the dates.”
He urged prospective lovers to err toward over-communicating about any potential symptoms, asking questions such as, “‘Hi, are you sick today?’
“So the other thing is, you know, with a date, you know, you might keep a little more distance than you might have before,” de Blasio added.
Practical tips
For those who may be starting to catch feelings but don’t want to catch coronavirus, Dating.com is offering a few tips on how to spend some quality time with your special someone. The dating sevice’s tips include watching a movie simultaneously over video chat together, or cooking the same meal together over video chat.
Netflix offers a “watch together” feature, enabling viewers in two different locations to watch the same film or show together.
And the dating app Bumble published a blog post by epidemiologist Dr. Seema Yasmin urging those on the app to avoid shaking hands if users opt to meet in person and to stay several feet away from each other.
“If you’re confined to your home for days, you certainly have more time on your hands to plan a date with someone you met on a dating app,” Yasmin wrote. “But should you cancel? If you’re sick, absolutely.”
Hinge told CNN that it prioritizes its users’ safety and wants them “to feel prepared during this pandemic. We strongly encourage users to use their best judgment and be as safe as possible during this time, including following the latest guidelines from the World Health Organization.”
Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, had similar advice on how to keep dating, but stay illness-free. He recommends asking, “How are you feeling? Have you had any symptoms? Do you have any fever? Are you comfortable going out?
“I think that’s a reasonable thing to do,” he said.
Even with bans on group gatherings, Schaffner said that dating is still an option because it only involves two people. The trick is to enjoy each other’s company while slipping away from any crowds you see.
“Maybe going for a walk in the park and getting a cup of coffee afterward or a soda,” Schaffner said. “So dating styles may have to change, but I wouldn’t think two people getting together would be inappropriate. And you can have a conversation about that.”
The coronavirus pandemic has reached crisis levels in Italy, and offers a preview of how the American situation could develop in the coming weeks. The dating world is no different.
Francesa Owens, a mother living with her 19-year-old daughter Antonia in Spoleto, Italy, told CNN she suffers from chronic variable immunodeficiency, and she didn’t want her daughter possibly bringing Covid-19 home.
Owens told Antonia she could either live with her boyfriend or live with her.
Antonio had been seeing her boyfriend for six months, ate dinner with him every day and spent every weekend with him. But her love for her mother trumped all of it.
For awhile, they tried to keep up in-person visits at a distance.
“We used to just meet in the courtyard, but had to sit on separate benches,” Antonia said.
They couldn’t touch. Sometimes her boyfriend just sang to her from across the courtyard.
“I would see him every day. But I told him from now on we have to keep distance because my mom is chronically ill,” Antonia said.
Then the rules got stricter, and everyone had to stay home. “I’m not seeing him at all at the moment,” Antonia said.
The mother and daughter watch films and drink prosecco and tend flowers on their balcony to help pass the time. And Antonia still video chats with her boyfriend, who lives in the same village.
A long-distance relationship an hour away
Another Italian, 24-year-old Angelo di Gregorio, told CNN he met a man he liked in December and the relationship seems promising.
Di Gregorio lives in Valeggio, about 20 miles outside of Verona. His love interest lives about an hour away by car, so the pandemic’s travel restrictions have put their budding romance in purgatory.
Di Gregorio said that with his job leading travel expeditions, love can be fleeting, so finding someone is precious.
“It’s the first time that I feel like going forward, since I’m always traveling for work,” he said.
But the country’s travel ban has made seeing each other impossible.
“We FaceTime each other to talk. It seems like a long-distance relationship, even though it’s not.”
He says the two have placed their hopes on April 3rd, the date when the country’s travel restrictions are expected to be lifted.
“If this thing is being postponed, then we don’t know what we do,” he said.
Coronavirus has placed dating, like nearly every aspect of life, in a state of suspended animation.
“I don’t know how people can start dating right now, to be honest,” di Gregorio said. “They should just postpone it. It’s just too much.”
