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Dating culture has changed. So much so, in fact, that dates are becoming a thing of the past.

Asking someone on a date is becoming as archaic as the drive-in movie – they are still out there, but they are so rare that the thought of going to one hardly ever crosses your mind.

The advent of social media and the cell phone have all but destroyed traditional courtship.

Being with someone in an intimate capacity has been reduced to getting to know them over Facebook or Twitter and sending them a text at 2 a.m. on your way home from a bar asking them to “hang out.”

Sure there are still people out there that ask the person they are interested in on a date, but they are surely the exception.

“I have a boyfriend now, but when I was in college, everyone just hooked up with each other all the time,” said Claudia Feldhaus, a recent DePaul graduate. “I definitely prefer the stability of a committed relationship.”

“Hooking up” has become a staple of our generation, and as social media proliferates, there may be no end to it.

Back in the day, a man would court a woman by taking her out on a date, showing her a nice time and respectfully dropping her off at home.

“Dating is, for the most part, better than just ‘hooking up,'” said Alvin Sandique, a DePaul student. “For me, it really depends though. If I whole-heartedly believe I have the desire to make something more out of it, then ‘hooking up’ with a girl is not enough for me. I need emotional attachment on some level.”

Today you may meet someone at a party, ask for their number and then “meet up” with them after getting drunk and being at a party or a bar.

We need to bring back courtship. Go out and ask someone on a date. We live in a time where it is OK for a woman to ask a man on a date – so ladies, don’t be shy. Get to know someone over a cup of coffee, go see a movie, get dinner and go ice-skating. Just anything – anything but getting someone’s number at a party, “friending” them on Facebook and simply “hooking up” with them. I promise you, whoever you ask will be so appreciative that you want to get to know them on a more personal level.

“For me, if a guy has the courage to ask me on a date, that probably means he is interested in who I am as a person rather than just wanting me for my appearance,” said Feldhaus.

Emotional attachment has become so undervalued in our society today because of the ever-increasing pace of everyday life.

People are used to immediate information and instant gratification, and taking the time to develop a thorough relationship with someone is not conducive to this lifestyle.

So, with that, I implore you to slow down, take your time and get to know and deeply understand someone. The emotional return from a stable relationship is more rewarding by leaps and bounds than multiple one-night stands, which can often leave one feeling empty and unfulfilled.

“If a guy asked me on a date in person rather than over text, there would be a much better chance I would say yes to him,” said Jordan Harness, a DePaul graduate. “Not only does it show he is a gentleman, but it makes the actual asking out more personal and intimate – that’s a big plus for me.”