Walking through the school hallways between classes you might hear people complaining about a “situationship.”
This slang has taken teenagers by storm, but what does it mean? According to the Oxford Dictionary, a situationship is a romantic relationship that is not considered formal or established.
The newer term is used primarily by Gen-Z to combine friendship and romance without commitment. While this is fun for people unsure about their future, situationships are horrible for people with set expectations.
“I think situationships are complicated,” expressed Keilyn Teheran, ’25. “You need to have boundaries in relationships or they will be.”
This should not be confused with the term ¨talking stage.” While these seem similar, a talking stage has the goal of a relationship eventually.
In an anonymous group discussion, SHS teenagers were asked about their past ¨situationships¨ and reasons they ended. Some shared stories, for example, one girl was cheated on the day of prom by her partner. The complications came when she felt there was ”no reason to be mad because we never established a label.”
Another student, a senior, had a situationship because she knew she was leaving for college. Though she liked him, the lack of a label caused her friend to believe it was acceptable to flirt with him instead.
If you are curious about your relationship, here are some signs you may be entering a situationship.
- There is no label between you two
- You or your partner are seeing other people
- There are no long-term plans
- Inconsistent communication
In a world where the meaning of relationships seems to constantly change, it’s important to make sure you and your partner are on the same page. If your expectations don’t line up then remember there are plenty of fish in the sea.
