Moving to New York City sounds like the start of a rom-com, but for TikTok creator @mmaebyy, it turned into twenty-five first dates and zero boyfriends. Her video asking where serial daters actually find their partners pulled in more than 192,000 likes, and the comment section turned into a full-on debate about dating standards, social habits, and whether anyone should settle just to be in a relationship.
The creator said most of the dates were awful and she didn’t want to date any of the men she met, so this wasn’t about getting rejected. It was about not finding anyone worth a second date. Commenters offered their own theories: serial daters might just be more outgoing and meet more people, some folks settle for the bare minimum or chase validation, and needing someone is completely different from wanting someone. One viral comment summed it up best: getting a boyfriend is easy, getting a great one is the problem.
Dating fatigue is real, especially for young adults juggling apps, big-city life, and the pressure to be partnered. So we want to know: do you think twenty-five first dates is a lot, or is that just how it goes in a big city? Drop your take in the comments, and tell us how many dates it took you to find someone great.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.