Personally, I do not encourage it. Although keeping your options open may be practical, it also has its drawbacks. Not only do you end up hurting other people, you may risk losing your ideal partner.
Some people like to go on dates with more than one person in a short time frame while they are single, for whatever reason. They may be picky and do not want to “settle down” with the first person with whom they become romantically involved; in other words, they’d like to explore their options and see who is better suited for them. I find this foolish for two reasons: 1) It takes a while discover someone’s true personality; and 2) When seeing more than one person at once, you’re bound to forget what each person is like individually. When someone does this, they will more than likely bunch all their companions’ personalities up at once, or attribute a certain characteristic to the wrong person.
Others may see more than one person at once, because the object of their interest isn’t forthcoming about their feelings. This move is COWARDLY. If one truly wants things to work out with a crush, then he or she must express his/her feelings directly. In some cases, the person one is seeing may need to be prodded a little to open up about the feelings they possess. Therefore, the only mature, reasonable action to take at this point would be to ask that person if they are interested in or possess feelings for you. Taking the uncourageous route can lead to many disadvantages, including losing your perfectly-matched mate, if the person you admire discovers your actions. The latter is likely to happen, especially when one can’t communicate with their love interest, because they’re spending time with date #2.
However, putting my personal preference aside, meaningful, monogamous relationships can result from innocent, polygamous dating if one has the right intentions when initiating the latter activity. Dating many people at once, because one desires sexual relations is one thing; however, if one is looking to meet the love of their life, they have the right to be picky. If they are seeking a one-of-a-kind connection and they need to sort through many people first, then so be it. As long as they don’t initiate romantic relations with a large number of daters at once, they can differentiate between different candidates and choose the one that is right for them. Moreover, if one eventually makes a decision between their hopeful choices, then a relationship comprised of trust and devotion can be formed.
Always remember that just because someone dates several people while they are single does not mean that they cannot be loyal whenever they choose to commit. But dating more than one person at once may cause one to lose the person of their dreams.
One piece of advice I’d like to offer to anyone who suspects such a practice is being done to them: Remain hopeful. As long as you are confident, you’ll be able to express yourself in a desirable way. Act like you’re going to win over the person you adore and you most likely will. (Use your judgment to determine if this person is worth the effort, of course.)
Good luck and best wishes for a blissful, romantic new year!
