Chill Season

Dear Singles Scene,

I met a girl on a dating app, and we’ve been seeing each other for almost two months. We both made it clear before we met that we weren’t looking to rush into anything serious if we get to that stage at all.

Well, now she wants to take a trip together and wants me to meet her friends, and it’s sounding pretty serious if you ask me. Why did she change her mind? And what should I do about it? I enjoy our time together, but my intentions haven’t changed.

Sincerely,
Why So Serious?

Dear Serious,

First, you cannot be upset with someone for how they feel. While this girl may have set out to form a partnership with no strings attached, that may not be where she is now.

People change. Feelings change. Have you considered that your time with her influenced the change? That she likes you enough to want to take things to another level? You must be doing something right.

That is not to say that you must change as well. If you are feeling that you are not on the same level, talk to her about it. Tell her what you told us: That you are not ready for a serious commitment or that you do not want it.

While this may very well lead to hurt feelings, it is better to get it out now rather than later when it could really cause some damage. Who knows — with time, you may change your tune as well!

Dear Singles Scene,

I happily swim in the singles dating pool and rarely have a week go by when I’m not out with someone. There’s one problem I keep running into, though.

Most girls I go out with have a dog or cat. And while I do love animals, I have terrible allergies to animal fur and can’t keep any as pets myself. This means I always have to bring girls back to my place, which gets boring after a while.

Is there anything I can do to help my situation? I know there’s medication for this, but how do I know what works?

Sincerely,
Sniffly

Dear Sniffly,

For most people, their pets are family, so they are not going anywhere. The burden is on you to deal with it, unfortunately.

You have a couple of choices. Speak to your doctor about allergy medication. Many are offered over the counter, and you do not need to take them regularly. Rather, you just take a pill as needed.

Your doctor should be able to address your concerns, such as side effects and interactions with any other medication you may be on. We cannot stress this enough: Do not start any new medication without first seeking medical advice. Your second option is to make it clear from the start that you are unable date anyone who has a cat or dog at home (sometimes they have both). This may cut down on your options, but the relief may be worth it.