DII: Chapter 2 — What Dating Looked Like in the 1990s

Dating in the 1990s wasn’t easier because people were more mature or kinder.

It was easier because the structure did more of the work.

You met people through friends, work, school, or shared places. Social circles overlapped. Ghosting was visible. Silence meant something specific. Rejection was awkward—but final.

Choosing someone closed other doors.

Most importantly, time and attention were scarce.

If someone asked you out, you roughly knew what it meant. If someone didn’t call back, it carried social weight. If someone committed, that commitment changed how others treated them.

You didn’t need to constantly interpret.

The structure interpreted for you.