Editorial: Rejection’s not so bad

College students have reached a new level of desperation and laziness.

MBA graduates from… College students have reached a new level of desperation and laziness.

MBA graduates from Columbia University developed a Facebook application called iWould that allows users to create a “to-do” list of people on their friend lists.

The point of the app is to cross-reference users’ lists to find matches — ensuring that both parties are interested and no one gets rejected.

“The app aims to rule out the potential for rejection with its provision that if the interest isn’t mutual, your crush will never know,” the Huffington Post reported.

Although new technologies often make hooking up easier, we think that some might actually make dating more complicated.

A 2009 Pew Research Center Study on social isolation and new technology found that “The use of social networking services to maintain core networks is highest among 18-22-year-olds. Thirty percent of 18-22-year-olds use a social networking service to maintain contact with 90 percent or more of their core influentials.”

Social networking is great for connecting, but we just don’t think it’s that great for romance.

There’s something — dare we say — magical about the period of courtship before dating. The time of anticipation where you try to analyze whether or not your dream date likes you or not. Sure, there’s some mystery involved, but that’s part of the fun. Rejection is a crucial ingredient in the romance stew that makes scoring a date all the more satisfying.

Additionally, we aren’t convinced that iWould eliminates all rejection, anyway.

Because Facebook states who downloaded what application, knowing that your crush has downloaded it will let you know whether they are interested in you. If he or she has the app and you haven’t been notified of a match, he or she obviously wouldn’t shun, shag or marry you. Well, we guess the shun part is debatable.

We also think people need to be careful with how much information they give over to a social networking site. You already tell Facebook your name, date of birth, e-mail, location, sexual orientation, relationship status and maybe even your phone number. Are you now also willing to provide it with a list of which people on your list you like as more than a friend?

And although we hate to bring this up for fear it will give people ideas, we have to note that this would be the ultimate thing to hack into when someone leaves his or her Facebook open. One minute you’re chatting up that cute girl you work with, the next minute you’re being notified that you have a match — and it’s your stepmom.

So to conclude this editorial, we’d like to tell college students to stop making dating and hook-up apps and websites. Most of us are horny or looking for love. All you have to do is get off your computer and come find us.