If you've ever used a dating app, chances are you spent a painstaking amount of time trying to craft the perfect dating bio or profile. (And if you didn't, congratulations, you're officially way cooler than the rest of us.)
We totally get it — writing a bio is hard. How can you encapsulate yourself in tiny tidbits of information?
Should you need some inspiration, look no further than this pure personal ad circa 1865. Max Roser, a researcher at the University of Oxford, tweeted a photo of a young gentleman's ad, and it proves that dating has kind of always been the worst.
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Looking for a wife in 1865 pic.twitter.com/5YWWag7isA
— Max Roser (@MaxCRoser) June 19, 2017
"I am eighteen years old, have a good set of teeth, and believe in Andy Johnson, the star-spangled banner, and the 4th of July," the ad reads. "I have taken up a State lot, cleared up eighteen acres last year, and seeded ten of it down."
So to recap, he has good dental hygiene, and even owns a good amount of property. Plus, he sounds like he's pretty handy.
"My buckwheat looks first-rate, and the oats and potatoes are bully," the ad continues. "I have got nine sheep, a two year old bull, and two heifers, besides a house and barn."
And the homeowner is looking for a wife: "I want to get married," he wrote. "I want to buy bread-and-butter, hoop-skirts, and waterfalls for some person of the female persuasion during life."
The most relatable part?
"That's what's the matter with me," the ad continued. "But I don't know how to do it."
Can anyone else say "same?"
Here's hoping things worked out well for our bachelor — after all, he seems to have plenty to offer.
Refinery29 has reached out to Roser for more details, and will update this story if we receive a response.
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