Regular Dates Are out, SuperDates Are In: Here’s Why They Make Your Relationship Stronger

istockphoto.com / Oleh_Slobodeniuk
istockphoto.com / Oleh_Slobodeniuk

If you’re one of the many single millennials navigating the dating scene, you’re likely using dating apps and going on a lot of dates. Due to the casual dating culture we sometimes feel trapped in, many of these ‘dates’ we get asked out on barely count as a date.

Many women complain about being offered nothing but boring and unoriginal date ideas that don’t excite them. No wonder we turn down dates often. It’s not just women who crave something more exceptional, though. It’s very common for both men and women to be matched with someone on a dating app like Tinder, only to be invited out for an anti-climactic, unremarkable and boring date.

These non-dates are usually something painfully mediocre such as a casual cup of coffee, or even worse: ‘Netflix and Chill’. These are hang outs, not dates. We deserve better. We deserve to go on SuperDates.

But what is a SuperDate? It’s a special date night that strays from the mediocre and instead promises to be unforgettable, unique and special. It’s an opportunity to get dressed up for once. It’s up to you if you prefer an active SuperDate such as a picnic at the finish point of a beautiful hike, or a cultural outing such as a wine tasting night followed by a concert or a play. Many SuperDates also involve dining at a fancy restaurant or engaging in a unique and adventurous activity such as zip lining, spoken word poetry or improv comedy.

A new app called SuperDate is bringing back the date by introducing users to a plethora of SuperDates to choose from, which the community can rank and join. This app will give you date ideas that will impress whoever you’re interested in, and help you win them over. This is the first dating app that matches users based on their shared interest in a common offline activity, and it encourages us to participate in memorable, exciting experiences that are creative and fun instead of boring and awkward.

Relationship Expert April Masini of the Ask April advice forum points out the importance of a fantastic first date in order to stand out: “First dates are sacred opportunities, and so are first impressions. They happen once, and then they’re gone, and they can make or break everything. A great first impression is exponentially valuable, and so is a fantastic first date. You’ll either get written off, or you’ll stand out (in a good way) from the rest of their options by treating them to a memorable evening.”

By discouraging the boring meet-ups at Starbucks and the amateur evenings of ‘Netflix and Chill’, and instead opting for a truly awesome date, SuperDates are undoubtedly the key to success in dating.

It goes without saying that we could all benefit from going on more SuperDates. Our generation is hungry for real connections, and going on a SuperDate is what’s needed to build a true connection because unremarkable dates aren’t enjoyable or memorable. A movie night in is just as exciting as eating a bowl of plain vanilla ice cream, but a SuperDate is the rainbow sprinkles you so desperately need in your dating life – and in that ice cream. New couples who integrate rainbow sprinkles in the form of awesome and unusual date nights dramatically increase their chances of building special memories with each other and building a strong bond compared to couples who stick with the plain vanilla-flavored date nights.

A phenomenal date can leave you feeling spell-bound, tingly all over and permanently smiling. This is the type of date promotes a special connection and chemistry. If things are going well with someone you’re dating, this is the type of date that will keep that momentum going. If you’re planning a first date, however, remember that a fantastic first date allows you to hit the ground running so that you stand out from everybody else.

The casual hook-up culture is depressing and unfulfilling. It’s time to put chivalry, romance and excitement back into dating. The best way to form a genuine connection with someone is to build memories based on exceptional real life experiences such as SuperDates. Let’s change dating for the better – we all deserve it. Thought Catalog Logo Mark

Erica is a dating expert and hopeless romantic who always keeps it real, no matter what the outcome of that realness might be. She loves to post memes, travel pics and dating advice on her Instagram @the_babe_report and she’s the author of the modern relationship advice book “Aren’t You Glad You Read This?”

Keep up with Erica on Instagram, Twitter and thebabereport.com

More From Thought Catalog