New Year, Same Me.

Reflections on dating in 2024 and why I've deleted the dating apps.

I’ve been enjoying some much needed rest and relaxation over the last couple of weeks, and as usual for this time of year, have been doing lots of reflection on 2024 and the year ahead.

New Year’s this time has been a quiet one. I’ve been on holiday in Italy, just me and my dad, which has been lovely. It is nice to escape the turmoil of my busy life and spend some quality time together. In discussing the year ahead, I was thrown off kilter slightly when my dad brought up that a Bulgarian mystic, “Baba Vanga” had predicted some sort of apocalypse in 2025, having also predicted (allegedly) 9-11 and various other scary events.

Sadly I didn’t end up singing Karaoke with any hot boys this New Years, although I did contribute heavily to winning a pub Music quiz, so I feel like we had a good night nonetheless.

“Where have you read that?” I asked, “probably the Daily Mail or something, I don’t believe that.”

“Yeah probably,” he replied, laughing, before going on a tirade about how he actually was a little concerned about Putin pressing the button (aren’t we all…).

The fact I knew rationally that this was Bullshit didn’t stop me from going on a 20 minute long googling spree, and browsing of reddit threads to confirm this mysterious woman was not legit. While I’d like to think I’m not a superstitious person, stuff like this always makes me feel uneasy!

Aside from this, I think there is something so nice about a quiet New Years. The pressure to go out and have the best night ever, can sometimes make the evening more stressful than it should be.

And, on the boy front, I did receive a ‘Happy New Years x’ text from the guy I’ve been on a few dates with… so that’s a win. Honestly I can’t remember the last time I went on more than two dates with someone, so by my standards this one’s going well.

I’m sure there will be more updates to come in the next few weeks. In terms of how I’m approaching dating in 2025, the single most significant thing I’ve done is delete the dating apps. If I reflect on the year just gone, all of the best dates and flings have come about through in-person interaction. I’ve met people at parties, on holiday, at the pub, and even in a coffee shop. When you meet someone in person, chances are there is something in common between you two already, whether that’s a mutual friend, a shared interest in travel, or even just living in the same neighbourhood. And there’s the issue that I find swiping and replying to texts that say ‘how’s it going’ incredibly mind-numbing.

And so I won’t be making any massive changes when it comes to dating for this year, just enjoying things without too much pressure. Here’s to another year of fun, in-person connection, and romance!