We learn something new every day, at least that's what I've been told many times in my life (not that I'm 100 percent sold on it). This week I learned a new word--situationship. If you live under a rock like me or just aren't caught up on new slang, I assume you're wondering what a situationship is. Fear not, after a brief interrogation of my friend, I am now a self-proclaimed expert on giving a situationship crash course.
A situationship is, according to urbandictionary.com (what a great, convinient, credible source that website is), "any problematic relationship characterized by one or more unresolved, interpersonal conflicts. usually confused with dating." Now, what does this mean? It's a relationship that can be confused with the typical, modern friends with benefits. As a matter of fact, I found it is extremely common for people to find themselves in these situationships. When you're friends with benefits, you usually know it. That's your relationship label. In a situationship, you usually have no idea what's going on.
Essentially, a situationship is borderline using a person. I'm just going to put that right out there. The most common situationship is when two people are "talking," but one person is really only in it for the benefits and the company. A situationship can also be similar to "leading someone on." I actually think this sort of not-relationship is the reason for Facebook's "It's complicated" relationship status because that's exactly what a situationship is--complicated. A situationship completely defies the phrase, "If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it's a duck" (at least I think that's how it goes). A situationship looks like a relationship and (figuratively) walks like a relationship, but it's a situationship. So how do you know you're in a situationship?
First of all you need to ask yourself a few questions.
Do you frequently ask yourself, in regards to your not-so-relationship, "What are we?/What are we doing?/Are we dating?"
Do you guys have two different ideas of what you would define your relationship as?
Do you even like this person? (Seriously, this is an important one.)
Do you find yourself only talking to this person when you're lonely/bored/unhappy/etc?
Do you only find yourself texting this person the casual, "You up?" text?
If you answered "Yes" to at least two of these questions, then congratulations! You're probably in a situationship. I would know, I'm an expert, remember?
Now just because you're in this, well, situation, doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing. If you like what you've got going on, great. If you don't, not great. Only dead fish go with the flow, so you've got some options, you can DTR (define the relationship), continue to be confused, or exit stage left. Either way, welcome to the modern, confusing world of dating. Happy dating (or not)!
