dating

Escape rooms: The ultimate way to put your relationship to the test.

Pop culture has given us many ideas to help us test our relationships.

Play a ‘friendly’ board game. Go on a long, uncomfortable road trip. Assemble that piece of IKEA furniture that is definitely missing a number of crucial instructions. Go on the Seven Year Switch.

But, alas, there is a new relationship test on the block. They call it the ‘Escape Room,’ and it involves working collaboratively to escape a fictional but highly stressful scenario.

For those of you who haven’t attempted the newest trend in leisure activities for people with a) too much time on their hands, and b) too much of a disposable income, escape rooms are the ULTIMATE first-world challenge.

Escape rooms are for cool people only. Like our Melbourne office... 

Basically, it's a live puzzle game. You enter a room (or multiple connected rooms) with a group of friends, and solve a variety of complex puzzles to try to escape.

For example, one escape room I've completed (yes, I've done more than one) was virus-themed. Before entering, we were told that Dr. D has secretly been doing research on a deadly virus. Our group was locked in his laboratory, and had to find the antidote to the virus. BUT one person was (secretly) told to sabotage the whole thing at the very end. We had 70 minutes to crack codes and solve complex brainteasers.

So many problems. So little time.

Oh, and you think because it's a game and you paid for it you're sure to escape?

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Think again.

NOT everyone escapes. Well, like technically you do. You're eventually allowed to leave, but with the knowledge that you FAILED. You failed at escape-rooming and that is the ultimate failure.

Your behaviour in an escape room scenario perfectly illustrates what kind of person you are. It highlights your problem solving skills, how you react under pressure, and how well you work with others. And let's be honest: anyone who is a liability in an escape room would make a terrible life partner.

Things an escape room will teach you about your relationship include:

Whether you're dating a stupid person. 

No one wants to be dating a stupid person. And if you're trying to crack a code to open a safe to find a clue which will lead you to the antidote, and your partner is busy trying random combinations of numbers because 'they'll guess it eventually', you've just learnt something incredibly valuable.

This person will hold you back in life. What if there really was a deadly virus and you really did have to open a safe to get to the antidote? Do you want to put your life in this persons hands? Really? You're going to trust them with your life? Yea, good luck with that.

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Whether you're dating a hot-head.

Anger problems are not only highly unattractive, but can lead to serious issues down the track. An escape room can help you identify whether your partner is the type to lose his/her temper in a stressful situation.

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If they start becoming frustrated in the early stages of the challenge, you know they're not going to be particularly helpful as it progresses. And this is a problem -  because escape rooms are important.

And if they get angry in the face of adversity, well that just takes away all the fun. And makes things awkward for everybody.

I mean, is this person just going to lose it as soon as things get hard?

Watch the Mamamia team confess the moment they knew it was over with their partner. Post continues after video...

Whether your partner is motivated.

The worst type of person is the one who doesn't take an escape room seriously. 'Guys, it's not real,' they'll laugh. 'Just chill out.'

NO. I WILL NOT CHILL OUT.

Does this mean they're just not that motivated in real life? If they can't even try in an escape room how can they be expected to try in a relationship? If this fictional scenario is a joke, is your life a joke?

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Bet you didn't think of that.

Whether they respect your opinions.

If you believe a closer look at the bookshelf might give you a clue to finding the code for the safe, your partner better listen. There's no use being with someone who doesn't respect your ideas. Are they going to listen to you when you're making crucial decisions about where to live, and what your goals are? Or are they going to ignore you and pursue their own line of thought?

There are infinite lessons that can be learnt about your relationship from an escape room scenario. And to be honest, I think the divorce rate is probably so high because people aren't doing escape rooms before tying the knot.

So approach your partner, and suggest that perhaps it might be a good idea to do an escape room with a group of friends (oh - and choose your escape-room-friends carefully. I have some friends that are great, but would be entirely useless in an escape room scenario.)

Be subtle about it. Don't let them know you're testing your relationship.

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And if they say, 'na, I don't think I'd be into that sort of thing,' you need to leave. You're dating a psychopath who apparently hates fun.

Interested in doing an escape room in Sydney? Why not try the escape room at Strike Bowling in Sydney's Entertainment Quarter.