Woah. You're single. You can't believe it, your friends can't believe it, and hell, your dog doesn't even believe it! How can such a relationship person be single? How does that work? Can it work?

This works until a point, until the unsettling empty feeling comes seeping in through your inebriated pores. Then all of a sudden all of your actions come rushing through mind, making your conscience cringe throughout and you come to the realization that:

How do you figure out this new hookup culture? Your mind, body and soul can't imagine settling for being a friends with benefits or a call at the end of the night. You know you don't have it in you. But what can you do? That's the culture of the time and age. You feel the need to conform. It can't be that bad right?

Here is the five-step cycle a purely relationship kind of girl goes through in this hookup culture.

Step One: Self Empowerment

You've hit the euphoria phase of the breakup. This means you just realized you can flirt and hang out with anyone you want! You tell yourself things like, "I'm in charge of my own happiness and nothing this irrelevant hookup does can hurt me. I'm using him as much as he's using me. This is just my entertainment on the side. This is not my focus. I am independent."

Step Two: Misplaced Feelings

Unfortunately, this hookup isn't as irrelevant as you thought. You start overthinking his messages and finding yourself excited to see him for the wrong reasons. He's just so attractive and so cultured and so nice...and oh, no...

Step Three: Suppression

You fight it. You won't take these feelings lying down! You got burned so bad from the last guy! You can't like this guy! Especially not this guy, he just sees you as a hookup. You try to squish this problem out by suppressing and undressing.

Step Four: Discontent

You can't do this anymore. It's just not you. It hurts you more than it entertains you. This may be the time an ultimatum comes out.

Step Five: The Conclusion (Two Options)

Option One: Re-Empowerment

The ultimatum did not end in your favor. You are over his bull and you're out. You completely swear off boys and you stay true to your word...until the next attractive guy comes around and the cycle repeats itself.

Option Two: Success

You won! The relationship girl is no longer just hooking up. Your relationship is growing and flourishing. With just the right amount of push, you succeeded in being true to yourself.