Spring orientation leaders warn incoming transfer students and January Scholars not to expect any dates during their time at Washington University, but most students report that even though there is much more hooking-up, dating sill exists.

“The Real WUrld” was a panel discussion during orientation in January which focused on campus life at the University. Authority figures were barred from participating so that students would feel comfortable openly talking about issues such as sex, dating and drugs.

Marilee Dobbs, a junior and RA, said that much of “The Real WUrld” discussion centered on the lack of dating on campus. “It came up that Wash. U. definitely does not have a dating culture. It’s a hook up culture. One girl stressed that boys hardly ever ask girls out on dates. She said that one of main reasons she was even dating her boyfriend was because he took her out on a date at a real restaurant and so she decided that he was a keeper,” she said.

Most students disagree with the orientation leaders’ claim that dating does not exist. They are quick to point out themselves or examples of other students who do date.

Sam Crawford, a junior, agreed that both dating and hook-ups are prevalent on campus. “There’s a lot of both but there’s not a good dating culture at this school. It’s generally that you’re just hooking up or you’re seriously dating. There’s not much in between.”

Many students reported that the University’s “hook-up” culture includes a wide variety of experiences. It is difficult to even know what exactly other students are talking about when they use this term “hook-up” because it tends to mean anything and everything from kissing to sex. “Hooking-up can mean so many things. It’s purposely vague,” said Dobbs.

Some students said that dating is more common in certain social circles than in others. Julia Mancini, a senior, said, “I think it depends on what social situation you take part in. I know my friends date. I think a lot of it depends on who you’re friends with. There are varied social groups at Wash. U.”

According to Mancini’s theory, some of “hooking-up” results from miscommunication. “I think some people fall into the ‘hooking-up’ culture early on in college, and it’s hard to get out of it. People assume that’s all everyone wants. Sometimes, I think two people who would like to date won’t because they don’t realize that they both want to,” she said.

There is a general consensus that upperclassmen are much more likely to date than sophomores and freshman. “In our house, we have the most people dating at this point in time than I have ever witnessed before. Maybe it’s because there are more older people living in the house right now and not as many freshman and sophomores,” said Crawford.

One explanation for the lack of dating on campus is that it plays no purpose. “Freshman year, dorms are very close quarters. Hooking-up is just to easy to do. It’s like an orgy. Also, for freshman, it’s unnecessary. It’s like, we have food here, and we don’t have access to going off campus. Freshman year is where you begin to lose the dating thing,” said Dobbs.

Some students point out that boys have little incentive to ask girls out. Natalie Jarecki, a junior, said, “It seems like people don’t date as much here because it is so much easier to be hooking up or ‘friends with benefits’. I think guys are like, why spend the money?”

According to some, boys do not typically ask girls on dates because girls no longer expect them to. “The way I sort of am, I would expect to be taken on a date. You shouldn’t lower your expectations just because you’re at college,” said Dobbs.

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