There’s no doubt that some things get better with age — wine, cheese, sex. But there are other things that change so much year-by-year, that it’s hard to look back at where you once were. And if you’ve been trying to find something shiny in a pool of lackluster dates, then you likely know that dating is different in your early 20s than it is in your late 20s.
Go ahead now and ask for forgiveness for what you tolerated when you were 21, because the approaching-30 you would shake your head at what once impressed you. The nice part about being single for multiple years — is that you figure out more and more what you want, what you don’t and what you’re willing to compromise on. And in some very powerful, awesome, ways, you also learn how to care less about how it all goes and expect more out of yourself and your future partner.
In case you need a good belly laugh or you a reminder of how far you’ve come — or where you’re headed — here’s what dating is really like in your 20s. Naturally, in GIFs, because those are fun through the entire decade.
Age 20: I So Don’t Need A Boyfriend/Girlfriend.

Age 21: Wow. That Person Just Bought Me A Bud Light. I Think They’re In Love With Me.

Burnt out of not dating.
After nine years, counting pre-divorce hoping, and post divorce invisibility, its over.
A really wonderful woman and I have been seeing each other for 3 day weekends together every other week since March 1, 2015. We met in-person Valentine’s Day, 2015. We started writing daily in early January, phone calls not too many weeks later, then nearly every day.
She is wonderful. Kind, sweet, compassionate, enjoying sports, loves my humor.
She is in health care, we have common interest in helping people’s health.
Shares my diet. We got married August 13, 2015.
I will retire in a few months and live happily ever after.