Let Me Catch You Up

It is the weekend, and you know what that means. Plans. Do you have them?
I do not. I can't decide whether this is relieving or depressing. Little column A, little column B? My feelings on this subject are mixed, because I swear to the good lord, if I go on more "first date," I think I will scream.
I understand that the first date is supposedly the most fun. The anticipation, the nervous butterflies, those thoughts that just won't stop rocketing around your brain: Is this dress too slutty, what should I eat, will he pay (I hope he pays because I'm an intern and I have no money, oh god should I tell him I'm an intern or does that sound stupid?) etc, crazy thoughts, etc.
Then he walks in and
A) He is wearing a fedora
B) He is wearing those weird toe shoes
C) Substantially shorter then you expected
D) All of the above (This is your cue to come down with something. Very quickly. Flesh eating virus, maybe?)
I know that this is in the cards right now, this whole dating strangers thing, but I don't like it.
In college we had a whole network of men to choose from. A plethora of guys with the supposed same interests (Beer, studying, whether or not we should go to class on Monday) and needs (Beer, sex, Taco Bell). Meet them at a party, no pressure. You just both happened to be there. What a gentleman, he has offered you a jello shot. Hells yes, you would love to make out. Can he friend you on facebook? A relationship is born. It was like dating paradise.
You will let the dream float by, unaware that the second you graduate, move back home, whatever, that dream will vanish.
Poof.
Now you are in the real world, and it is NOT like Sex in The City my friends. Carrie Bradshaw must have been making some serious rounds to go on as many dates as she did. I don't have a crazy horse face and I can't get that many dates. Much less with attractive older men that have a driver and a love of crazy women.
But I digress.
The first date.
I have had quite a few in the past month. My whole goal for this summer after college was to be a grown up, get a job, go on real dates (So no jello shots. Or at least not until the second date). It was supposed to be fun and exciting and new. Instead it is exhausting, boring and frustrating.
Why did no one tell us this? In our little cocoon of college, we had heard whispers of the economy and the horrible job market. The divorce rates and the fact we would all soon have to have our own divorce of each other and our safety nets. We were too busy drinking PBR out of red cups, interpreting text messages and watching movies like Friends With Benefits. 
We had no idea.