Well, have you ever thought about the internet?

First of all: I go to a therapist. No, I'm not crazy, but yes, I have some issues, and working through them with someone with whom I associate with for the only purpose of sorting out my problems has been really helpful for me. He helps me realize the things I'm doing that are self destructive or self inhibiting, and he gives me someone to be accountable to as I try to change the bad habits I have. I think more people should have a therapist.

So, anyway, the other day in my therapy session, I was talking about how frustrated I was with my social life, primarily my romantic social life. I don't know about you, but two dates in as many years is just not really satisfying to me. I've been able to blame it lately on my horrid work schedule, and was explaining that, even though I don't like where I'm at now, I don't really see how I can change anything, when eight terrifying words escaped my therapist's mouth:

"Well, have you thought about the internet?"

The honest answer to this question was... yes! I'm a relatively tech savvy 22 year old single girl, who uses the internet for 60-70% of her social interactions, of course I've considered internet dating. I've even "reviewed my matches for free!" a time or two on a long lonely Valentines Day weekend. But I never seriously considered actually paying the money and going on dates with these complete strangers that I know little to nothing about. So to have someone I respect seriously suggest internet dating as a solution to my lack of social life was kind of mind blowing.

Internet dating is a bit ridiculed, but he did have some interesting arguments in support of it. The most striking of these is this: Guys that are looking for a shallow relationship are not going to spend an hour + on a personality profile to find out who they are most emotionally compatible with. So the kind of guys I'm looking for, the guys looking for someone to have a real, emotional and intellectual connection with, are gonna be the kind of guys who have profiles of websites like eHarmony. He also reminded me that, now I'm out of school, the likelyhood that I'll just "fall into" a relationship has vastly decreased. When you aren't going to school every day with the same people, there is a lot less opportunity to build relationships with new people, and singles wards are all well and good, but they are no guarantee. "It is better if you take a more proactive approach to this part of your life, just like all the rest. It's time to get in the driver's seat, and internet dating is a good way to do that."

But there are a couple of cons to internet dating. First, there's the fact that meeting complete strangers online makes me a bit nervous. I mean, I only know what these people want me to know about them! They could be thoroughly creepy and I would have no way of knowing. Second, internet dating is expensive!!! If you only sign up for one month at a time, it's $50 bucks or more! It goes down the more months you sign up for at a time, but they want you to pay it in lump sums, and I'm sorry, I don't have $300 for a years membership to eHarmony.

So what am I gonna do? I dunno. Any advice or experience would be highly appreciated.

Erin

Wait, what am I doing?

So I've been pressing along on the new job path, craving the joys of a day shift and a social life, and I do think that it's the right route to take, the "grown up" route to take for sure.

But there is a huge part of me that is starving for a creative environment. I think I really want to go to art school. I mean really. And here are some reasons why:

I want to be around people who enjoy arguing the pros and cons of the Pepsi redesign, or which font reigns supreme.

I want to learn from people who know more than I do, and receive praise from professors for my "stunning natural aesthetic."

I want to wear something so trendy it's almost ugly, and get looks of approval instead of scorn from my classmates.

I want to meet some fabulously attractive, complex, and creative guy, with whom I have boatloads in common and fall madly in love.

I want to build a portfolio that is so amazing, design firms will beg for me to join their team, and I'll never not get an interview for a graphic design job again.

But is this really what art school is like? Or have I been duped by Hollywood's idealism? If someone out there knows, please, let me know.