Dating or Just "Hangouts"

In class we have been talking a lot about the foundations of a good a healthy relationships. We talked about before we get really serious with someone we need to come to know them as a person. Their likes and dis-likes. Things that bug them and things that they absolutely love to do. How can we commit to someone before knowing who they are. In class we discussed the vital importance of dating and not just "Hanging out". Hanging out with someone is very different than dating. Hanging out is not serious and does not show any type of commitment. It is a come as you like activity. When we date we are more committed to each other. This is not to say that if you go on a date with someone you have to be in a serious committed relationship.It means that you are practicing those skills that if one day you do find someone that you would like to be more serious with you already know how and what to do to really find out who they are. I see in my generation we are so more willing to just hang out with one another but does that really help us find strong and healthy relationships. To me I believe that "hangouts" are things that we do to play games with one another. When we are just hanging out we are not serious on what we really what. "Hangouts" are safer that really put ourselves out on the line and showing another person our true selves. I think that young kids now a days need to date more and hang out less. We need to start practicing those commitment skills so that when we do find the right one we can fully commit with out being scared to do so.