If you’ve been in the Gen Z dating scene for five minutes, you’ve probably heard the word “situationship.” And just when everyone thought we had figured that one out, textuationship entered the chat.
These terms might sound like funny internet slang, but for many Gen Zers, they describe very real dating experiences. Some people even prefer them. No pressure, no labels, no expectations. Just vibes. Or so it seems.
So what do they actually mean?
What is a situationship?
A situationship is basically a relationship that refuses to call itself a relationship. Two people are clearly more than friends. There is an attraction. There are dates. There might even be feelings. But no one has said, “So what are we?”
It usually starts casually. You talk every day. You hang out. It feels like it is heading somewhere. But months pass, and nothing gets defined. You are not single, but you are not taken either. You are just… there.
What are the signs that you are in a situationship?
These are the signs you must have experienced if you are in a situationship:
- Uncertainty
One major sign you are in a situationship is uncertainty. You do not know what you are allowed to expect. Can you get upset if they cancel plans? Can you ask where this is going? Can you post them? Everything feels unclear.
- Secrecy
Another big sign is the low-key secrecy. Maybe you do not meet their friends. Maybe they avoid posting to you. Maybe you both act differently in public. It feels real in private but invisible in public.
- Expectations
Important dates also tell you a lot. In an actual relationship, birthdays and Valentine’s Day are a thing. In a situationship, those days might pass like any random Tuesday. No celebration. No acknowledgment. Just silence.
- Comfort in non-exclusivity
Then there is the comfort with other options. In many situationships, exclusivity is not assumed. They might openly talk about other people they are texting. They might post someone else. And technically, you cannot complain because nothing was ever defined.
Now enter the textuationship.
What is a textuationship?
A textuationship is exactly what it sounds like. The relationship lives in your phone. You talk every day. You flirt. You send long paragraphs at 2 am. But you rarely see each other in real life, if at all.
There is always a reason. Busy schedules. Distance. “We will plan something soon.” But somehow, it never comes.
Textuationships are often on and off. You talk intensely for weeks. Then someone disappears. Then they come back with “Hey, stranger.” It feels exciting, but it is unstable.
The biggest similarity between situationships and textuationships is that neither is fully defined. They exist in that grey area. There is a connection, but no clear direction. Effort is present, but only to a certain point.
For some Gen Zs, these setups feel safer. There is less pressure and less accountability. For others, they are draining. You invest time and emotion without knowing where you stand.
The difference is that a situationship can sometimes grow into something serious if both people decide to define it. A textuationship, on the other hand, often fades out as quickly as it started.
At the end of the day, both reflect a dating culture that is cautious about commitment but still craving connection. The real question is whether you are okay with staying in the grey area or if you want something clearly defined.
