Serena Williams is Giving Up Dating for a Decade: 6 Reasons Why That's a Bad Idea

Earlier this week, tennis player Serena Williams declared that she's swearing off dating for the next decade.
By Alicia Harper for HowAboutWe

Earlier this week, tennis player Serena Williams declared that she's swearing off dating for the next decade. (Yep. You read that right: ten whole years without dating.)

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She told Celebuzz, "I have given up on dating. I'm a really emotional person. I give my all and everything. I do make mistakes -- like every human does -- but the last relationship just was too much of a heartbreak for me. I just can't go through that anymore. It was hard. [...] I just have to remove myself from that atmosphere for about the next decade or so." Sigh. Ah, Serena, I see where you're coming from. Really, I do. It can be hard to have faith in the dating process sometimes because it can be daunting. And if you find yourself going through a breakup, you can literally feel like you're falling apart. I've certainly been there. So, I "get" it. But here's the thing, though: as trying and tiring as it can be, there are perfectly good reasons not to give up on dating. Here are six.

1. Dating can be interesting. When you're single and seeking, you have the opportunity to meet new people. When you land yourself a date, you have the opportunity to embrace new experiences. And even if Date Number One doesn't lead to Date Number Two, Three, or Long-Term Relationship, you would have had an interesting experience to add to your dating diaries. And that's pretty darn cool.

2. First date jitters are actually exciting. You know that warm-and-fuzzy-butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling you get after you've secured a first date with someone that you think is really really cute, nice, and funny? You know that smile you smile on D-Day (Date Day)? You know that spark you feel when you arrive at your first date destination and you can just picture yourself having a good time? Yeah, if you give up on dating, you can kiss those things good-bye.

3. Kissing is fun. Really fun. Sure you can have a full-fledged smooching session with any 'ol body, but it's not the same as a makeout session at the end of a great date. You'll get a high from it, and if it's good enough, it'll last several days. Say it with me: ooh-la-la!

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4. Sex is even more fun. Yes, yes... you can have sex without dating. But really, who else is going to try that really kinky position with you that you found out about from [insert the name of your favorite porn site here].

5. Post-date dissecting makes for a pretty juicy conversation. If you enjoy dissecting text messages (down to the character!) from your crush/love interest, then dissecting a date will be like a zillions times more fullfilling. Trust me on this one.

6. Practice makes perfect. This is a simple case of the numbers game. The more dates you go on, the better you'll get at dating. And the better you'll get at detecting the dickheads. And the less likely you'll be to end up getting hurt from said dickheads.

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So there you have it. After all of the disappointments and heartaches, it's still not worth it to bench yourself during the dating game. Of course, if you don't play, you won't lose. But let's face it: if you don't play, you can't win. Ever. Alicia Harper, M.A., Ed.M. is a 20something single mother, blogger, and recent graduate of Columbia University turned Mental Health Counselor. Her life is filled with all things pink, except for the one bit of blue - her rambunctious 4-year-old son. Together they make a great pair, and Alicia chronicles the trials and triumphs of being a young, single mother living in NYC at Mommy Delicious. Find her on Facebook. Follow her on Twitter.