Happy New Year, lovely readers! To start the semester, we wanted to dive into our hopes, dreams, and wishes for love this year.

Generally, 2023 felt like the year of changes in love, especially coming out of a couple of turbulent years. Some of us ditched the quarantine boyfriend, others tried long-distance, and still others went for a foreign fling. But the overall energy last year felt like releasing the overflowing angst that COVID-19 left on our love lives, and this year we are being reborn. So my hope for us all—whether you’re newly single, oldly single, or headed into your millionth year anniversary—is to chuck off the reins and get a little experimental.

How can we bring some fresh excitement into our approach to dating, hookups, or relationships? In the name of growth in 2024, here are my New Year’s resolutions for you:

For all the single ladies (and non-ladies): 

I challenge you to chat up someone unexpected. Especially for those of us with a pretty clear-cut “type,” this is a good time to put it to the test. Do a little something different and see if you surprise yourself.  

Our vibe for this year is gathering field notes (shout out to all my anthropology majors): What observations, experiences, and stories can you glean from this experience? When we stop looking for love, the perfect fuck-buddy, or the ideal situationship, and instead just focus on the search for experience, how does that free us up to the unexpected?

For my cuffed cuties:

I challenge you to put your relationship in a new context. Whether you’re in a good groove with your partner or need a change of pace, putting your relationship into a new environment helps jumpstart a fresh vibe. Going on a trip with your significant other—anything from a two-week spring break extravaganza to a day trip within Connecticut—helps break you out of your Swings-Netflix-nap routine and gives you the chance to grow with your partner in a new context. The uninspiring weather, minimal daylight hours, and general winter malaise make it super easy to get stuck in a rhythm this time of year, so it’s the perfect time to shake things up.

Now, I know some of us are vehicle-challenged, but there are ways to bring the vacation experience onto campus. Bundle up and walk through Indian Hill Cemetery, or café hop down Main Street. The important thing here is not the destination itself, but rather the opportunity to switch up your routine. Of course, if you’re looking for X-rated ways to spice up your relationship this year, then check out our past article How to Spice Up Your Sex Life Through the Senses. 

While these are just some ideas to get the ball rolling, the overall vibe we want to see from you all this year is exploration and risk-taking. It doesn’t have to be anything major (although I’m always a sucker for a huge declaration of love), but the energy we’re trying to embody is curious, carefree, and open-minded. Give yourself the chance to be surprised!

XOXO, 

Dill & Doe