Dating (R)evolution: How hooking up has become a spectator sport

MANILA, Philippines - It’s not your parents’ time anymore. Even if the dating game changes over time, the thrill of hooking up still remains but the code of behavior has evolved from the rules of yesteryear to a more liberated movement. Think Survival of the Fittest meets Amazing Race. One goes through hoops for a good time. That’s dating 2009.

Unfortunately, a date can sound like a boring chore or another full-time job. However, men and women still go out night after night, looking for the perfect mate. It takes time, though, to find the right one. Should you choose wit or good looks? Upwardly mobile partner or hardworking team player? Soul mate or party partner?

In the old days, dating used to be more about formal courtship, and sometimes chaperons and strict rules were involved. The expectation then was that dating, as with courtship, would ultimately lead to a relationship, the capstone of which was a walk down the aisle.

Now it is much more like trying on what fits — no strings attached! Just like in the movie The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, that set the standard for the “reverse proposal” — women making the first move just like in the Sex and the City TV series. Women are now taking the lead in the search for some action.

Aside from women being more aggressive, the online matchmaking networks and the emergence of speed dating has given finding a mate a new breeding ground. A date can be found in a matter of seconds! Think of speed dating as speed training for a marathon. The more times one does it, the better one gets at long distances.

No one ever said hooking up was easy. First dates are awkward, second dates are expectant and the dates that follow — during which two people really start getting down to the business of getting to know each other — present hundreds, if not thousands, of opportunities for missteps, faux pas, blunders and the perennial question, “Did I really say that?!”

But it’s all about the game, baby. Just like any other sport, there are rules one needs to study, learn and follow to equip you with an idiot-proof playbook for the fast-paced, intense, exciting, full-contact sport of searching for someone with whom to have a rocking good time with, perhaps fall in love with and not be left floundering and in limbo.

For the girls. Ladies, always remember that you are a sexy, desirable woman and the world is your oyster. Although we would like men to do the chasing, sometimes, being a bit aggressive works. Remember the story of Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford? She “spilled” a drink on him as a ploy to meet him and the rest is history!

For the boys. Dating can be frustrating for men — it’s hard to figure out what women want. Behave like a proper stud and you’ll find dating success. The mysteries of women can never be completely revealed, but with the right approach and the sheer commitment to having a good time, communicating with a woman can be a party! Paul, a 33-year-old graphic designer, says, “Women can make the first move and take the lead. It’s acceptable for women to ask men out, pay for the date or go for the goodnight kiss. Because women are more independent now compared to before, the first move won’t be abhorred by gasping onlookers.”

No wonder Lexi appeared at the basketball games of UAAP, waving a sign with her cellphone number on it. It was almost as if someone had flicked a switch and the fireworks went off, which goes to show that women now are more confident than ever, showing their confident moves through crazy and cool stunts. Dating or at least looking for a date has become truly a spectator sport!

So, if you are hawk-eyed for confident chicks like Lexi, call her at 0908-893-3333 and find out how she’s been Axed!