Navigating love during February just got a little bit harder. Being in a situationship, or a talking stage during the month of love is nearly identical to the feeling of being in purgatory.
February and it’s Attachments to Love
February may seem like a regular month to some, but to most, it’s the month of love, romance, and the holiday that singles hate the most: Valentine’s Day. This short month is a time for love, prosperous relationships, and pure romance.
Oftentimes, individuals aim to be involved with someone around February in order to experience the full effects of romance.
“February is the time that you put the evil and the pride aside/ For the fantasy of getting married, very scary”
Credit: Slime You Out – Drake ft. SZA
Unless you’re in a situationship. In that case, it’s the most confusing, stressful, and anxiety-inducing month of the whole year.
Typically, people are unsure whether or not they’re even in an actual relationship. Valentine’s Day adds extra layers of worry, wondering if they should post their partner, buy them a gift, or take them out on a date.
What is a situationship?
For those who are unaware of the term, a situationship is the talking stage while you’re getting to know someone before officially dating.
There is so much unclarity that comes with being part of a situationship, especially around this time of year, and folks struggle to understand how to deal with it.
Promoting during February
Situationships as a whole have become a normalized phenomenon in today’s society. We are seeing more people stuck in relationship limbo than officially dating.
As a society, we have been witnessing talking stages take over real, committed relationships through social media, songs, and marketing.
Even companies are able to take advantage of Gen-Z’s current heartbreak epidemic by creating situationship-themed products.
For example, the iconic Sweethearts Candies that we all know and love, created a genius marketing campaign by using their defective heart candies and rebranded them as Sweethearts Situationship Candies.
The tagline for the Sweethearts Situationship Candies being “Messages as blurry as your relationship” perfectly sums up most people’s average experience of being in a situationship.
Not only have companies profited off of our misery and anxiety during February, but musical artists have used the concept of uncertainty within a fling as their muse for songs.
Artists like Lilian Grace have curated songs that are fitting for everyone who is just seeing someone around Valentine’s Day.
How to act in the Scenario
Due to the such high levels of unpredictability these sorts of entanglements produce, they generate numerous kinds of conversations about what people should do and how they should act when in a situationship.
The main route most of the public chooses to go for is not to speak about it at all. It’s much easier not to go through the beyond-awkward conversation with the other participant in the entanglement.
Some go as far as referring to it as hell because of how treacherous it can be to speculate what the other person is thinking constantly.
That aspect of it may be the hardest part of dealing with a situationship during February because of the mental gymnastics some have to go through to figure out the other person’s true intentions.
There is always a sense of regret that follows along with having a conversation about romance and Valentine’s Day with the person you’re in a situationship with.
Because of how much February is associated with true love and passion, several people don’t think unofficial relationships or friends-with-benefits should be included in the celebrations. Though, others choose to partake in the festivities.
If you are willing to get your talking stage a gift, aim for something a bit smaller, like candies or stuffed animals. Don’t go all out.
If you choose to have the talk with the other person, their response about whether or not you both are exchanging gifts is a clear indication of their feelings towards you.
The Reason People Choose Situationships
A question we should ask ourselves is why is just seeing someone so normalized, and why do people not choose commitment?
Many individuals are having issues with wanting to be tied down, especially due to how easy it is to cheat through social media and dating apps.
Some find it significantly easier to have a casual relationship with someone where no strings are attached, but usually, someone catches feelings.
Research conducted on single Americans by Anna Brown from Pew Research Center claims that in 2020, 50% of singles were not looking for relationships.
14% were looking for long, committed relationships. It’s clear that the imbalance plays a role in how in most talking stages. One of the two sees it as purely casual, while the other aims to date them.
How to Navigate Your Situationship
To navigate at which level of commitment you and the other person are at, it’s important to look at the timeline of the unity itself.
If the other person is very on and off, has kept you waiting for over three months, and has never done anything through your terms, chances are they don’t want to date you.
Unless the other person has given clear hints that they are interested in being in a relationship with you, you can get them a little gift or plan a nice date.
It’s sad to say, but some people expect dating energy from someone who isn’t even thinking about them as a partner.
Final Thoughts
The issue of situationships is one that people will always struggle with.
The constant state of anxiety and uncertainty that follows along with it is beyond unbearable and, frankly, might drive someone insane.
Remember that you won’t have to question if they want you.
Are you looking to find an interesting way to slide into someone’s DMs? Read this article on how to utilize an Instagram feature when sending messages.
