How Dating Has Changed Through History

If you were a 2000s —or even late '90s — baby, you probably know what it means to "talk" to someone, and we don't just mean have a casual conversation. In the 2000s, cell phones were becoming more and more common, and so it also became normal for two people to get to know each other before their first date. According to Psychology Today, dating in the 2000s and 2010s looked a lot like this: "Boy meets girl (or boy). They text, message, or 'talk' (which is apparently some sort of code for not quite in a relationship, but not out of the realm of possibilities either)." They may also "hook-up," though what that meant exactly varied depending on location.

In the 2000s and 2010s, the concept of dating kind of went out of style. Things became more relaxed, and labels were rejected. "Dating may occur, but will more likely be referred to as 'hanging out,'" Psychology Today noted. Dating was a lot more casual, and, with the ease of texting, dating became something you only really did if you wanted to get married in the near future.