Additional Coverage:
- I made myself go on a date every day of the week. I ended up marrying the guy from Tuesday. (businessinsider.com)
Facing Bar Exam Results with a Week of Dates
The week before bar exam results came out, I was a wreck. Crying into ramen at lunchtime, I realized I needed a drastic change.
My friend, witnessing my meltdown, admitted defeat in his attempts to console me. It was my second time taking the California Bar Exam, and the pressure was immense.
Years of study hung in the balance, and the thought of failure was crippling.
My solution? Dates.
Seven days, seven dates. It was a perfect plan to force myself out of the house and away from my anxiety.
Talking about my impending bar results on a date would be completely insane, which was exactly the distraction I needed.
I hadn’t dated much while studying, so I dug through my contacts. Monday was set with a previous casual date, Wednesday with someone similar, and Thursday with a guy who had a boat (and slightly off-putting energy).
Friday was reserved for an old flame visiting from out of town. That left Tuesday.
Turning to Tinder, I searched for a cute face and a decent opening line. Amongst the generic “Heys,” one message stood out: “You look fun to dance in public with.”
It was quirky, it made me laugh, and it was true. “Incredibly random, but you’re right,” I replied.
“Drinks on Tuesday?”
Monday’s date was pleasant, though we were clearly better suited as friends. Tuesday, however, was different.
Mr. Tuesday was even more charming in person.
My carefully constructed plan to avoid bar exam talk crumbled. Nervously, I confessed my precarious career situation.
To my surprise, he was incredibly understanding and supportive.
Mr. Tuesday’s profile hadn’t mentioned his interests in art, literature, or politics, yet our conversations were far more engaging than with countless others who had. The rest of the week, I couldn’t stop thinking about the thoughtful, Austen-loving guy who knew my deepest insecurity and still wanted to see me again.
Wednesday’s date is a blur, and I canceled Thursday’s. The boat suddenly seemed less appealing than a quiet evening at home.
By Friday, I was calm enough to face the results – I passed! Champagne with friends followed, along with a slightly tipsy date with my old flame.
Mr. Friday’s underwhelming reaction to my bar exam success paled in comparison to Mr.
Tuesday’s congratulatory text.
That week, stripped raw by anxiety, I had been my authentic self with Mr. Tuesday.
He hadn’t been pre-judged or typecast like so many others. More dates followed, and eventually, we moved in together.
He loved me before I was a lawyer and supported me years later when I realized law wasn’t my passion.
And now, we’re married. Our first dance was to “La Vie En Rose,” one of many times we’ve had fun dancing in public, just as he predicted.