Christine Stead
Dwayne Hackett
English 1110
February 7, 2005
Breaking Up: How to get out alive!
Let’s face it; breaking up is hard to do. Unless you’re a masochist, you likely don’t want to hurt someone else’s feelings. And unless you’re a sadist, you don’t want to stay in a relationship that’s not working for you. But extricating yourself without anyone getting hurt is no simple task. It takes skill, finesse, and a thorough understanding of “the three steps.”
Step 1, would be choosing the medium in which one wishes to use. Today, breaking up tends to fall into three distinct mediums: in person, by phone, or email. But not all three work for every situation. Determining which way is appropriate for you is the first step toward a clean break. Breaking up in person may be the most difficult way, especially since you never know how the other person is going to react. But if you’ve been together for a significant amount of time, it is really the only way. It shows that, despite the fact that things were ultimately un-resolvable, you do care about the other, and that you’re still a decent human being. Just make sure to pick a semi-private place where you can talk and they can cry without attracting attention. The phone is usually only appropriate if you’ve been out on a handful of dates, and been physical in any way, a quick call to make your explanation is the fair thing to do. It is certainly less intimate than an in-person meeting (which is not necessary if you’re not committed to one another), but more personal than email (which is too cold if you’ve been out more than once). Email is usually done when you’ve been out once or twice, and you’re just not that into it. Jot down a quick email, hit send, and the job is done. Really, at that early stage, it’s all you owe them.
