I was once with my friend when I got a text from a guy I liked.

I went to respond, but she quickly stopped me. Apparently, I had to wait as long as or longer than it took it him to respond to my last text, so I did.

You’re supposed to wait it out, because then you somehow hold the power in the relationship.

Why do we play these games? Why do we follow these unwritten rules about dating and starting relationships?

You’re supposed to try to act coy, pretending that you have much better things to do Saturday night than see a movie with him, but let’s face it: you don’t.

We get so caught up in these stupid games and playing hard to get that we don’t even realize if we like the person.

You get to the bar and scan the room hoping to see his face, but once you do you turn away. You have to act like you didn’t see him and that you’re having an amazing time with your friends — and maybe even flirt with the closest guy there.

It’s just another game in a relationship where you can’t seem too eager or uninterested.

If we tossed out these “rules”, maybe we would meet a person that we genuinely like. Do we enjoy playing the games and having that rush, rather than enjoying the person for who they are?

With these rules, you only really start to know the person once you get into a relationship, because once you put the label on, the games stop and the truth is revealed. Maybe that’s why a lot of relationships only last a few months.

Why can’t I just be upfront about everything and not laugh at his joke if I don’t find it funny? I know that you’re constantly on your phone, so why ignore my text for the next few hours if we can make plans now?

We’re a generation that has our phones attached to us at all times like life support. Don’t wait so that it seems like you were busy or to hold some form of power over the other person.

I’m not saying I’m innocent of doing this, because I’m definitely just another player in this game, but why do I follow the rules if I’m against it? We should drop the game, so that we can actually get to know people.

Laura is one of the Journal’s Features Editors. She’s a fourth-year English major.