The Dating Trends Dictionary
We’ve all had unfortunate experiences playing "the dating game." Whether it's being left on read or straight-up ghosting on someone, we know a thing or two about rejection habits. We just love dating trends designed to avoid commitment. If you learn anything useful at college, it'll be how duck out of relationships with minimal effort and hook up with no strings attached. Little do you know that your favorite dating trends have names. We went ahead and compiled them into a list for your dating convenience.
Ghosting
This is an obvious one because we’ve all done it. You leave the girl you’ve been casually Snapchatting on read because the conversations lost momentum. You ignore the creepy message from a drunken random Tinder match, because you really weren’t feeling him being so forward right off the bat. Ghosting is the 2017 version of letting your phone go to voicemail or declining a call (because what guy is actually going to call?).
Cuffing & Drafting Season
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to get cuffed in the snowy winter months of ‘Cuse. But what happens when you’re no longer stuck inside demanding undivided attention from the guy on the floor below you? You start to look for other options. Drafting season rolls around as soon as the weather turns from brisk af to sunny. You’re open to new people, new relationships, and new hook-ups. You’re getting a feel for your options before the cycle begins again.
Zombie-ing
When a past fling (who ghosted you) starts slowly crawling back into your life, it’s called “Zombie-ing.” Maybe they didn’t think the relationship had potential at first, but then realized you’re more attractive than you were before. Or maybe their previous relationship didn’t work out and now they're lonely. Either way, it’s a major red flag. If they faded you out of their life before, they’ll do it again. Abort mission.
Situationships
Ahhh situtationships. This tricky trend is the byproduct of hookup culture. The situationship could be the guy that consistently hits you up after one a.m., or only asks you to come through when he’s trashed. He could also be the guy who only seems to like you when the two of you are alone. Situationships benefit the commitment-phobes, so if you think you're in one, get out ASAP because it's doomed. If they're not ready to DTR cut it off all together and find someone better and less fuckboi-ish.
The Fake-Up
This is breaking up with someone you were never in a relationship with. Let’s say you hooked up once or twice and the guy now thinks he’s your mans, but you don’t want it to be anything more. This is when you would cut off the “relationship” and then ghost him, hard. There’s nothing worse than one person catching feelings while the other feels nothing at all. Break it off before it’s too late.