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Situationship Victoria Simoes
“When you and your partner have sex, hold hands while driving, call every night, fall asleep on the phone, tell each other that u love them but as FRIENDS, and tell each other everything. But you guys are only buddies (Urban Dictionary, 2022).” Although this may not be the most academic definition, user Hahapicklesarecute does a great job in capturing the experience of a situationship. The term depicts the relationship of two individuals who are really into each other, do everything a couple would do together, yet refuse to have a conversation about commitment. A situationship allows the people involved to have an emotional presence and connection in person but freedom when apart. The saddest part is, a lot of people find themselves in the middle of them by accident. I’ve heard the phrase “going with the flow” being tossed around the Gen Z dating space as a term to ease the pressures of navigating a relationship. But I find it is the number one excuse to avoid accountability and DTR - defining the relationship. Unfortunately, this dynamic has become the new way of coining the relationships that exist amongst most adolescents in the year of 2022. Why would someone want to be in a situationship you might ask? Well, most people think this type of relationship is harmless. It can offer a fun, stress-free way to enjoy the benefits of a relationship without major emotional commitment… provided that both partners are on the same page. If both parties are not in agreement, it is the easiest way to get ones feelings hurt. The harsh truth is, more often than not, at least one person in the situationship grows attached even if they had no intention to. Undoubtedly, it can be hard not to develop feelings for someone when time and energy is invested into them. When this happens, the situationship becomes a connection where one person (full of hope) thinks they can turn it into a labeled relationship. This person begins to feel deep emotions, crave stability and starts to develop expectations that their partner is not committed to meeting. At this stage, the situationship can get very tricky to navigate and it holds the potential to affect one’s self-worth and mental health. The one who is hoping for more may begin to question why they’re not good enough for an exclusive
