Bring Back Meet-Cutes

When I watch “Notting Hill,” “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days” or “The Holiday,” I dream about those times before social media and dating apps, when couples would meet each other genuinely. 

In these golden years, an accidental coffee spill, grab for the same book or coincidental adjacent seats on a flight could lead to falling in love. 

A meet-cute means meeting in person or meeting by chance instead of online.  

It’s no secret I’m a lover of romantic comedies. They’re a chance to curl up in my bed with a cup of hot chocolate and dream about what could be — finding someone authentically — in real life. 

It seems as though every couple I meet — especially at Loyola — connected through a dating app. Tinder, Hinge, Bumble — they’re all the same. Dating apps are a chance for people to hide behind a screen while asking one another the same questions we’re all tired of hearing.

We’re losing our ability to meet romantic prospects authentically, and the digital age is distorting our perception of love. Connecting through an app on your small rectangular device is now more normal than meeting someone in person. 

Some may call me an old soul, but it’s hard to not think about how sad that is. What happened to going out into the world and meeting people how we always used to? 

Sometimes the best meet-cutes are the simplest ones. Your co-worker at a coffee shop, your friend’s friend or a classmate. These are authentic because they didn’t arise from being on your phone — they’re based in real life. 

Some may argue meet-cutes were never a thing, but that’s not true. They always were. I listen to my parents’ story with wide eyes, hoping to learn what they did — and how they did. 

My mom met my dad through his sister — the two were teaching together in China when my dad came to visit. It was a late night at an airport, and my aunt pulled a prank on my dad by having my mom act distressed and ask for his help, just for my aunt to sneak up and scare him. Needless to say, sparks flew after that. 

That’s a meet-cute. 

None of this is to say every in-person meeting is automatically a meet-cute. Getting hit on is different, and hollering at someone when they cross the street isn’t a meet-cute — it’s harassment. 

Some may also say it doesn’t matter how you meet the person you’re with, claiming in the end, being together is all that matters — but we shouldn’t lean into this kind of complacency. I shudder to envision my friend giving a toast at her wedding and starting with her mentioning how glad she was that she downloaded Hinge that one day. I would simply have to leave. 

Dating apps are easy. Sometimes they’re fun to play with, prompting users to imagine different scenarios and fun experiences based on the wide array of people they’re exposed to.

But on the off-chance people even go through with the dates they plan, they have to go out alone with a stranger they met online. They could even be lying about their identity, since it’s so easy to put up a facade and scam people. 

Many people also have a distorted sense of relationships nowadays. I hear the word “situationship”constantly tossed around, which usually means a relationship but without a label put on it. There’s a lack of genuine interest and commitment with Gen Z, which has been considered the loneliest generation, according to Newsweek. 

Meeting online saves those afraid of a lasting romantic relationship from taking a risk. Dating apps allow people to hide behind a screen and constantly swipe right to find a better option, or even completely ghost people. 

Meet-cutes have to come from genuine interest and serendipity. The best things often come from happy accidents or trying something new. So why not take a chance? 

Consider this an encouragement for the future. Put yourself out there, go places you wouldn’t normally go. Meet people. The next time you see someone reading a book you want to read, go strike up a conversation. There’s no harm in putting yourself out there. 

In the hopes that others are being brave and doing the same, I’m going to take my own advice as well. If we go through life with our minds open, every day holds the possibility of genuinely meeting someone new — perhaps the one.