With the constant stress of classes, work, finances and life in general who has time for an actual relationship?
There is a growing trend, especially among people our age, to have a relationship with a special someone without actually being in a relationship or labeling it as such, and it’s called a “situationship.”
Urban Dictionary describes a situationship as “any problematic relationship characterized by one or more unresolved, interpersonal conflicts,” or “a relationship that has no label on it.”
Basically, you’re dating, but you don’t label your relationship as dating.
So why do people want a situationship instead of a relationship?
One reason may be that people think they’re too busy for something more meaningful. With the hectic schedule of the average college student, things can seem a bit overwhelming and it’s certainly tough to go at it alone.
Stress also comes with a relationship, and that may be more than some people think they can bare. By not labeling your relationship, maybe you think that you won’t have the stresses of a normal relationship, but that’s simply not the case.
The truth is that you’ll still have all the stresses of a defined relationship because, in all actuality, you are in a relationship. You just choose not to call them “boyfriend” or “girlfriend.”
The fear of commitment might be another reason why people want a situationship instead of a relationship. If you don’t define it as a relationship, then there’s nothing actually there, therefore, there’s no commitment, right? Wrong. These things are typically a monogamous relationship of some sort, so there is an element of commitment. Plus, the relationship isn’t just on a sexual basis. That’s something completely different.
So why not go ahead and call it what it is? Instead of calling it “a thing” or a situationship, you should still call it a relationship, because there really is no difference. It has no more benefits or downsides than a defined relationship. You go through the same things a couple in a defined relationship would.
If you’re worried that you might not have the time to commit to a relationship, then maybe it’s better to stay single instead of getting involved with someone and both of you getting hurt in the process. Or maybe you should consider taking things slowly. Instead of jumping into a relationship, ease into it. Explain to your special someone that you don’t want to rush into things and end up hurting each other.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with showing commitment and taking things slowly. If you want something to work out, you’ll find a way to make it work.
