It is extremely rare that I find myself agreeing with any lyric in a rap song.

However, this weekend I caught myself singing part of a 50 Cent song.

“Aayoo, I’m tired of using technology, I need you right in front of me.”

While the rest of the song is about all of the things the singers want to do to and with a dancer in a club, – that line struck me.

I am tired of using technology in romance.

I am a single, 22 year-old female. I have a cell phone, a Facebook account, an email address and an instant messenger account.

I can say these modes of communication have afforded me little more than is understandings, confusion and frustration in relationships and the pursuit of them.

Everything from diaries and family photo albums to bill paying and funeral arrangements has moved online. I suppose it was only natural for the dating world to follow suit.

In this transition, however, romance has lost much of its power.

Weaker means have resulted in weaker ends.

Dating, and having friends of the gender you are attracted to, can be hard.

With texts, emails and other virtually instant modes of communication, it is easy to be misunderstood.

“Messaging” allows the sender to flirt or admit feelings without real commitment. When a text appears on a screen the reader is left to interpret the message. Is it flirty or just funny? Is it passionate, serious or just a joke?

In addition, screen-names and phone numbers do not have faces, voices, or eyes. Using them, it is easier to lie about feelings and motives.

Face to face interaction or even phone conversation is better for fostering honesty if one are serious about any relationships, romantic or not.

It can be hard to walk up to someone and ask them out, flirt with them, or give them a compliment, but it means more.

More importantly, interacting face-to-face forces people into the real world.

This is important because real dating and real relationships happen in the real world.

Messaging takes the reality of work out of the relationship world as well. While convenience may seem a positive here – no more walking across campus just to say hi, or dialing a number to make sure he/she made it home – it is fostering laziness. One can just instant message him/her while checking email or watching TV.

The person becomes incorporated into everyday multi-tasking, and becomes equal or lesser to the everyday changing of Facebook status, checking of fantasy football team numbers, and downloading new songs. They are not special.

Dating is hard enough and technology when, overused and used in place of face-to-face interaction, only makes it worse.