Why We’re Obsessed With ‘100 Dates of Summer’

Serial monogamist Elise Moreno is our girl du jour. After spending years jumping from relationship to relationship, Moreno decided to correct her pattern with drastic action. She started a Tumblr, geared towards a mission—over this summer, Moreno’s decided to go on 100 dates. That’s 100 possible new manfriends and an unfathomable amount of patience. But hey—no one ever said the pursuit of science was an easy path.

The lady is 28 dates in, and her site has already gotten notice from major news outlets. So what does she hope will come out of all this? “I’m hoping to inspire both men and women to put themselves out there,” Moreno told The Huffington Post, “I’m asking everyone to leave their hang ups at the door and go after what they want, not what society or anyone else has told them they deserve.”

Here, here. We love the ‘100 Dates’ project so much, we decided to make a list about it. Here’s why we’re digging it:

1) It restores our faith in online dating.

Though there have been some misfires (the blog highlights one date—a dating coach, no less!— in which the gentleman eats all of her food), the author has managed to find some interesting dudes on the world wide web. Sometimes OkCupid and Tinder seem nothing short of horrifying, so it’s awesome to have a spokeswoman digging up the gems.

2) It’s all about resilience.

A direct quote from the blog: “#7, awwww number 7. I was having a super time with him. Most recently we went to The Exploratorium’s night life and dinner. Unfortunately he just wasn’t that into me. . . and he let me know.” END. QUOTE. Despite the best efforts of the whole He’s Just Not That Into You cultural moment, it remains incredibly hard to just let someone you like go—even if they don’t express interest. How refreshing is it to see a lady able to enjoy a date, admit her interest, then move on when her investment isn’t returned? Super savvy, super secure, super cool. NO. SCRUBS. 

3) It’s adventurous!

Moreno’s taken dudes horse racing, she’s introduced them to her family—these are no typical dinner-and-a-movie affairs. It’s so easy to slide straight in to dating culture—bars, brunch, and the couch. ‘100 Days’ reminds us all (those single, and those attached) to keep the spice alive! The world is big and wonderful—why not go on exciting dates?

4) It’s got some great writing. 

Moreno breaks down her dates into titillating play-by-plays. This process is half scientific (we get to see all the where-he-or-she-went-wrong moments), but it’s also very narrative (“I walk back into the hotel feeling upset, frustrated. . .”). If anyone out there is in need of a summer beach read, may I recommend. . .?

5) It’s surprisingly optimistic. 

What I love most about ‘100 Days’ is its guileless optimism. Moreno approaches each date with the best of intentions. She’s willing to believe that every man she meets may bring something to the table, and gives everything her best shot. On the flip side, if the chemistry’s not there, the lady will cut her losses. She’s brave and curious, but unwilling to settle. This is all a super groovy, badass approach to dating.

6) Moreno is tough as nails.

In an interview with Nerve, Moreno broke it down: “I don’t have to take sh** from anyone. I know it’s a really basic lesson, but it’s easy to forget that you have total control of what your future looks like.” 

Um, yeah. Mic drop, I think.

7) It’s all about the journey. 

It’s incredibly rare to be able to point to your patterns and actively work to correct them. Moreno identified herself as one who jumps from relationship to relationship—and now, she’s moving out of her comfort zone by dating a bunch of different men. I’m unable to be this candid about my addictions to Netflix and Facebook, so…I acknowledge that the struggle is real.

Way to go, Moreno! We’ll see you at date 100!

All images via Tumblr