What is a situationship?
A situationship is a romantic or sexual connection that is more than a friendship and less than a relationship: there is closeness, but no label, no agreement and no plan. It suits some people for a while. It hurts when one of the two wants more and nobody says so.
Signs you are in a situationship
The common thread is that nothing has been said aloud.
- You do not know what to call him when you introduce him.
- Plans are made the same day, rarely a week ahead.
- You have not met each other's friends or family.
- Conversations about the future are avoided or joked away.
- You are unsure whether either of you is seeing other people.
Why they are so common
Dating apps make it easy to keep options open, and nobody wants to be the first to ask for more. A situationship lets two people have the pleasant parts without the risk of a conversation. It can be exactly right when both want something light.
How to get out of the fog
Decide first what you want. Then say it plainly and ask what he wants. The answer may not be the one you hope for, but an unclear answer is also an answer. Staying in uncertainty in the hope that it resolves itself is the one option that rarely works.
Questions and answers
- What does situationship mean?
- An undefined romantic connection: more than friends, without the commitment or the label of a relationship.
- How long does a situationship last?
- Anything from weeks to years. Most end or become a relationship once one person asks for clarity.
- Is a situationship the same as friends with benefits?
- Not quite. Friends with benefits is an agreement. A situationship is defined by the absence of one.