Why double dating is overrated

Now that my wife and I have gone on several double dates with friends and their partners over the years, I've come to the realization that double dating just isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Personally, I prefer hanging out with my friends, sans partners.

What I've noticed is that friends don't seem to act the same when in the presence of their partners. Many of them love serving up jokes when it's just us together, but when their partners are around, they hold back a bit. They try to be on their best behavior and come off as being wooden.

It also natural for one to want to cater to his or her partner's whims. For example, I've noticed that, while on a double date, it's much more likely for the night to end early because my friend's girlfriend wants to get some sleep or go with my friend somewhere else.

The more people you throw in the mix, the more political and watered down the outing becomes. Sometimes my friends become entirely different people on such occasions -- boring, quiet, and visibly restrained.

Thus, going on double dates hardly seems worth it. When I'm with my friends, I like laughing and being plain silly. If you're going to drastically change your demeanor just to appease your partner, maybe it's better to scrap the double dates and stick to outings where it's just you and your friend.

What's your opinion?

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