Diary of a Gen Z Student: There's a lot to be said for casual, low-pressure romance

"Imagine the disappointment of boys everywhere as they figure out that girls are regular people, not the porn stars they’ve become accustomed to. Quite the rude awakening."

Jane Cowan in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin Photograph Moya Nolan

A movie I have watched more times than I care to admit is the 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. 

One particular line in the movie has been a popular meme for the past couple of years, as one of the minor characters explains why she has decided to marry a man that she does not love. The line is delivered by Emma Thompson: ‘I am 27 years old. I’ve no money and no prospects. I am already a burden to my parents. And I’m frightened.’