Whatever Happened to Romance?

We've all heard the stereotypical ideas of romance - that we will grow up, meet our very own Prince Charming, be whisked off our feet and straight into the perfect happy ending. In reality, a lot of us seem to go from one dead end relationship to another, often making us blame ourselves and wonder what we're doing wrong. Even if we are lucky enough to be in a relationship, it is often not the fairytale ending we anticipated.

Whatever happened to romance? The concept of a guy going out of his way to get a girl - giving flowers, compliments and wining and dining her before making things official. Romance seems to be all but dead these days, and the way of beginning a relationship is all too often reversed, with a lot of couples sleeping together before they become an item. But what about those of us who want to be wooed? A little chivalry can go a long way. It's really not that hard for a guy to hold open a door for a girl, or help her out if she's struggling with something. Yet some guys exploit the chivalry card, and think that just because they buy you a drink you're going to jump straight into bed with them.

Of course there are men who are capable of thinking with their brains instead of their balls, but it can be hard to tell them apart. How are we meant to know if a guy is genuinely interested in us or has ulterior motives? The reality is, unless romance sees a revival we won't be able to do so. A recent survey of 2,500 people by stationary chain Partners revealed that 15% of people would rather admit their feelings towards their partner for the first time by text, e-mail or on the phone. Ok, so it might spare some blushes if your partner doesn't exactly feel the same, but take the plunge! Things could be so much better if said face to face.

All it takes is for us to swallow our pride, drop our fronts and admit how we feel. This includes us girls. It is up to us to help bring romance back into the 21 st century and get things back to being more love letters and flowers, than text sex and quickies.