Study Shows Generation Dating Earlier, Marrying Older

THE DAILY VIDETTE — Nov 16 — According to Gary Creasey, a psychology professor, the rules of dating have changed over time.  "Students are now dating earlier than our parents did. They are more comfortable and experienced with the opposite sex today." People are getting married at a later age than their parents might have. Dating in college today may be more casual than it was in the past. Creasey explained that a lot of college students today are looking for more support and companionship, rather than looking at whether someone is "marriage material."  Tools such as the Internet and cell phones may also have made a profound impact on dating. People with significant others at different schools can keep in touch often by the stroke of a key.  "If you were dating someone at a different university, communication used to be limited to a 10-minute phone call once a week. Now with cell phones and instant messaging, long-distance couples can have more communication and feel more comfortable," Creasey said. "People used to meet through work, but now it’s more through extracurricular activities or friends," Creasey said.  "Younger people tend to look more for physical attractiveness. As they get older, they look beyond that and look for people with similar interests and values."  FULL ARTICLE @ THE DAILY VIDETTE