An increasingly popular form of human connection at a time when dating is becoming more casual is situationship. The word is made up of the English word for relationship, and the situation, i.e. a moment. A relationship for the moment, so to speak. It is a mixed form of friendship plus and a proportion of relationship. Often closer in contact than is the case in an affair, but please not too close, as a relationship might be perceived.
This form of relationship is a state of limbo between the worlds of absolute non-binding and monogamy. In dating, there are times when you find yourself in a situationship without realizing it. In principle, the following characteristics can be assigned to the three most common forms of connection, which, however, can also differ individually from couple to couple.
The distinguishing features of a relationship are mostly: – A monogamous couple relationship – You get to know family and friends – Future plans are made, vacations together, moving in together, etc. – You spend a lot of time together and share your innermost being – The physical closeness is sought mutually – The Emotions are mostly balanced for each other
A situationship, on the other hand, is characterized by: – Physical closeness – Often a friendly relationship in which at least everyday stories are shared – The topics of monogamy and the future are hushed up – You don’t present yourself as a couple to the outside world, but you also do something outside of your four walls – The appointments are similar to a relationship, but not quite as frequent – You don’t have any obligations to each other, but the expectations are still a form of mutual loyalty – It often happens that one feels more for the other
The main characteristics of an affair: – An affair is often determined by the sexual interest in each other – The meetings are irregular and spontaneous, weeks and months can also pass in between – Little private information is exchanged – The sexual act is often aimed at satisfying needs, rarely if not at all accompanied by closeness such as cuddling – the distance between the two people compared to a relationship is often noticeable – you have no obligations and you are not asked about rivals – if possible, no feelings should be involved in order to keep processes uncomplicated
In the process of getting to know each other, recognizing that you are already in a situationship and not in a growing relationship is quite difficult. Above all, the time factor and the commitment of the other person give an impression of whether the situation will stagnate in the long term or whether the connection will continue to develop. For example, we meet every week, spend the night together, maybe even cuddle up while watching a film, but this situation remains. There are no further developments in the introductory phase. You don’t talk about the future and feelings. If this residual distance between two people remains, there is a high probability that you are in a situationship.
What is causing problems for Gen Z in particular, leaving them or striving for more: The situationship takes the advantages of a relationship, such as closeness and friendship, but reserves the non-binding nature of an affair if someone better appears on the dating horizon. A situationship often ends with someone developing feelings, demanding more commitment, growing disappointment or asking the big question: “What is it between us and what can it become?” The lack of feelings on one side usually leads to the end from this point, because if there were enough feelings, the connection would have developed more clearly in the relationship direction.
Quellen: Vogue, Pretty, Esquire
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