We live in a world where the majority of us always wants to be connected with someone else through some sort of channel, whether it be through social media, text messaging or dating apps.
However, I think there’s a lot more you can get out of meeting someone in-person for the first time as opposed to meeting him or her online. This may sound so old-school, and it might sound like something your parents would tell you, but I think a lot of us are starting to lose our ability to socialize in a public setting and simply say “hi.”
I’m not saying that using dating apps is an awful way to meet new people. I understand that sometimes, it can be a lot easier for people to communicate with others in this way without being in a social setting, and that’s okay.
But there’s something different about meeting someone in-person than online. You get more of that personality feel and sense of style than you do from sending a text message. You feel like you already know them.
In my experience, meeting people online has not really worked out for me. And I will note that meeting people does not always mean meeting someone for a relationship. For instance, before I came to Seton Hall, I was looking for roommates through the class Facebook page. Of course, I did the typical “Hey, everybody. I’m Liam Oakes and I’m this major who is looking for a roommate,” kind of post. I received a few responses, and was excited, but at the same time, I was completely unsure of what I was going to find.
Then, while I was at my Pirate Adventure, I didn’t think my roommates would appear right before my eyes. We just clicked, instantly became friends and decided to become roommates just 10 minutes after meeting each other, and not once have I ever regretted that decision since then.
Think about your best friends. You probably didn’t meet them online, either. Some of us even have crazy stories about how we met our friends, and sometimes, our significant others. There are times when I randomly think about those moments and, at times, laugh so hard thinking about them. I tell people it’s always the memories that make your life worth living.
Soon, I’ll be out of college and moving to start my career. I’m leaving everything I had at home behind, but what will always stay with me are the memories I had being there, both good and bad.
Liam Oakes is a junior public relations major from Andover, N.J. He can be reached at liam.oakes@student.shu.edu.
