AS VALENTINE’S Day comes up, many Gen-X teachers are starting to hear students talk about their love lives, plans for the day, and plots to bag their crush. As the narrative is usually about students’ Valentine’s, many Lancers wonder about the teachers. Lancer’s love lives are fun, but right now, it’s time for teachers to spill the tea about their love lives and give romantic advice.

Richard Keyes, a 10th-grade history teacher, said that Gen Z needs to go on more dates instead of just talking online. “See how the person actually is instead of just getting into talking stages,” Keyes said. “My worst date was when I matched with someone in computer dating, and when I met them in person, she turned out to be so boring,” he added. But thankfully for him, that’s how he was able to get a date with his wife and talk with her for eight hours straight.

Teachers often talk about how different dating was back then, because now Gen-Z students are in talking stages, situationships, Snapchat streaks, and hitting others up on Instagram. During Gen-X’s time, they didn’t have that; they would speak with moms over the phone and make it official by dating instead of going through different stages.

“Remember always to have fun, don’t stress, and make sure always to be yourself, ” Mark Wood, a video production teacher, said. He also believes that social media has changed how people interact these days — it’s almost always online and rarely in person.

Talking in person is much better than just doing online dating because then you will actually know that person and how they are. Teachers recommend having bad dates with some awkward, quiet moments; this will help students realize it’s better to know someone for real, because that someone could be an outgoing person online, but just really awkward in person.

Andrea McMillan, an assistant principal, recommends never assuming and always taking it slow. McMillan thinks social media ruined dating for Gen Z. She always hears other Lancers talking about breaking up with someone, but once that person gets with someone, they get mad at them, which makes no sense to her.

Timothy Eccleston, a match teacher, gave Gen-Z advice: “Always put your phone away and make sure it’s on silent so you don’t get the urge to check it 24/7.” When he was younger, it was better because they knew the person he was talking to better, and it wasn’t just an online interaction.