As a teenager or young adult on a scholarship, whether in the United States or Australia, a person steps into the first stage of an independent life and gets the first shots, gaining experience in the learning process. However, social life at this time does not stand aside, especially in the age of total digitalization.
When it comes to online dating apps, most parents don’t think of them as potential opportunities for personal growth. Instead, they think of them as time and money wasters that (at best) might help their child find a relationship online or (at worst) end in teens distancing themselves from the family. While it’s certainly true that meeting online might not be a traditional method for learning life skills, we think that there is some positive educational potential that these platforms can bring to the table. If you have a teenager or young adult in your life that you think is just wasting time dating online, consider these five potential benefits for their school life and scholarship retention that they might be building on!
Social Skills
To be fair, flirting is far different from your normal everyday interactions. Nonetheless, there is a certain level of tact and intuition that must be attained in order to be successful while flirting through teenage dating apps. Whereas joking around and making fun of someone might work just fine if they’re already a friend, it’s unlikely to yield positive results for singles trying to find their other half.
Online dating can help them develop healthy ways to communicate with members of the opposite (or same) gender without coming off as vulgar, rude, or downright disrespectful, which is perfect for behaving at a school. Learning how to attract a person isn’t far off from making points on your thesis seem strong or befriending your partners on a project, which is a perfect condition for it to be successful. Plus, dating chat definitely expands your social circle, so even when you're far from home in Australia, you can make friends and support.
Managing Rejection
As you probably remember, relationships as a student can be quite trying and rarely have a happy ending. Of course, some relationships never even start! Either way, rejection is an unfortunate part of life, and while we may not enjoy the process, it’s still something that we need to learn to deal with. Heartbreak can be especially hurtful, but it does provide a great learning opportunity will (in the big picture) relatively little risk.
While romantic rejection and getting turned down for a grade or an internship aren’t exactly the same thing, it’s still important to know how to properly deal with rejection, regardless of the situation. Communicating with people online can help young singles learn how to deal with the disappointments and downfalls of life. Getting a C for your paper or being turned down by a person is a lot alike – all students need to learn from it is how to become a better person and do better next time! The same lesson will apply anywhere – from a first few rejections when looking for a first job to being let go from it – rejection is normal and isn’t a tragedy, as a person can always try the next time.
Time Management
Whether it’s planning time for a date or simply setting aside time to study on a daily basis, time management is key to being successful in scholarshipy life, not just in online dating. Coincidentally, time management is also a skill that is required in nearly every other facet of life. Most likely, the teen (or young adult) in question will have more going on than just their romantic life: they’ll also have school, homework, time with friends, time with family, and perhaps even a job! Balancing tome between romance and school is hard for all students, forcing them to adjust their schedules (and advancing their time management skills in the process!). Managing their time between different activities is a struggle not only for students but for a lot of adults, so picking up this important skill from setting time for romance and time for studies early in life will make young students’ lives easier.
Financial Planning
Some schools are free, just like some dating sites, so this may not be applicable in your particular situation. However, most good things in life require a paid membership. Suppose a teenager (or young adult) is truly looking to get the most out of their educational journey. In that case, they will most likely consider an expensive school.
Since money doesn’t grow on trees, they will be forced to find a way to fund their education, which could be applying for a scholarship, finding a new job, or even getting a promotion at work! If they want to get their grade, they will need to find a way to manage their finances to ensure everything is paid for on time. This lesson may be learned the hard way (when a teen’s parents tell them they are incapable of paying for their education) or the easy way – when trying to save some money to talk to a girl you like on a dating website that requires a premium membership. Surely this is an important life skill!
Peer Pressure
The idea of peer pressure at school isn’t often a topic that many parents feel inclined to discuss, but (for better or for worse) it’s just a fact of life for the modern teenager. To bend or not to bend under its pressure isn’t a personal decision but a question of will. But regardless of their stance, they will most likely come into contact with someone who tries to make them change their mind – be it a teacher or fellow students.
Some students don’t know how to react to criticism from peers. This is where online dating platforms can help them learn that strangers on the internet may be helpful or harmful to their self-esteem. If communication works, criticism is accepted as healthy and maybe objected or accepted; if a person criticizes a student’s knowledge (or, at online dating sites, appearance, and interests) to be seen as a better person in their own eyes – young adults need to learn how to ignore this pressure.
It’s OK to Be Afraid
Whether they’re considering a school in another country, such as Australia, or dating abroad, chances are, as a parent, you most likely aren’t enthused about your teenager (or young adult) entering the world of adulthood. And that’s OK! Fortunately, by letting them start to decide their own fate, be it in education or online dating earlier rather than later, you can be there by their side to provide guidance, suggestions, and support for their goals when needed while still allowing them to make just enough mistakes to learn from it. After all, who can teach them how to navigate the world better than you?
