How a simple park date changed my whole view on love

Has anyone else here ever been just seconds away from hitting delete on every single dating app on your phone?

I’m not kidding, I had my finger hovering over the icon last week. I was just so over the "production" of modern dating. You know what I mean? The fancy dinners where you’re too nervous to eat, the loud bars where you can barely hear yourself think, and that constant pressure to "perform" or impress. It felt like I was playing a character instead of just being myself. I was totally ready to retire from the game and just buy a really high-quality espresso machine and call it a day.

But then I decided to try something different for what I promised myself would be my last first date for a long while. I’d been reading up on this concept of minimalist dating—basically keeping things as simple and low-stakes as possible to let the actual personality shine through. I actually found some really cool insights about it over at https://www.sofiadate.com/type....-dating/minimalist-d and it really clicked for me. Why was I trying so hard to make it a spectacle?

I matched with this guy, Alex, and instead of the usual "let's grab drinks at that expensive new spot downtown," I suggested we just grab a couple of iced coffees and walk through the local park. I figured if we didn't vibe, at least I got some fresh air and a decent caffeine fix, right?

Well, it was the best decision I’ve made in ages. Without the distractions of a huge menu or a waiter interupting every five minutes or loud music thumping in the background, we actually... talked. Like, really talked. We spent three hours just wandering around, laughing about how we both still love cheesy 90s cartoons and sharing stories about our worst travel mishaps.

There was this one moment where we both stopped by the duck pond to watch the sunset, and it wasn't awkward at all. It was just peaceful. No one was checking their phone, no one was worrying about the bill. It was just two people enjoying each other's company. I felt more of a spark in that simple afternoon walk than I have in a dozen fancy dinners combined. He was so genuine and kind, and I think the low-pressure environment let both of us just relax and be our real selves.

It’s crazy how much more you can learn about someone when you aren't worried about the "performance" of the date. I realized that the best connections aren't built on how much you spend or how cool the venue is, but on how well you can just be with another person.

If you're feeling burnt out like I was, please don't give up yet! Maybe you just need to strip away all the fluff. Honestly, minimalist dating is where it's at. It turns out that when you bring things back to basics, the quality of the connection feels so much higher because you're actually seeing the person, not the "event."

I'm actually looking forward to our next date now (just a simple picnic this weekend!). It's funny how being a skeptic for so long made this surprise feel even better. Has anyone else tried this simple approach? I'd love to hear if it worked for you too!