Situationships is a term that is not unknown in today’s world. Hookup culture, situationships and “sneaky links” can be looked down upon as a negative human habit. Situationships can cause feelings of mixed emotions and abandonment, but they might also be beneficial to someone in some type of way.
A situationship according to Oxford Languages is, “a romantic or sexual relationship that is not considered to be formal or established.” In even more simplified terms, a situationship is a mix between a situation and a relationship.
Situationships have not been a relevant term until the 21st century. A relationship is when you and someone else have a committed bond together, while a situationship is not too serious of a commitment to someone else.
Dr. Josh Woods, a psychology professor at Grand View University, talked about his knowledge of situationships in college.
“From my knowledge, [a situationship] was seen as a terrible idea. There were guys on campus promoting that kind of thing. Not what I wanted to represent of male culture,” Woods said.
Woods explained how he did not promote this type of relationship during his college years.
“I grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, AIDS was a thing. Sexual promiscuity was basically like, ‘good luck, but you’re going to get sick and die,’ and it seems like it is not as high of a concern on college campuses,” Woods said.
There is a lack of protection against sexually transmitted diseases within hook-up culture. Ashley Gallagher with the Pharmacy Times and a previous pharmacy technician said “Generation Z… was the least knowledgeable about HIV.”
This lack of knowledge could lead Gen Z to be unaware of STDs, HIV and AIDS that could come from situationship activities.
Biology major and chemistry minor college student at the University of Northern Iowa Raegan Cook discussed hook-up culture from a student’s point of view.
“Growing up being Gen Z, I think [situationships] probably happens a lot more now than it did decades ago because of social media. Dating apps are more normalized now, and almost everyone is on them. Gen Z made it a bigger thing than it used to be,” Cook said.
Gen Z has always had access to technology unlike any generation has before. Steve Jobs released the first ever Apple iPhone in 2007, Mark Zuckerburg created with Facebook in 2004 and more. These extreme technological enhancements were created during the years that Gen Z was raised in. Being exposed to these kinds of innovation has altered the way people communicate and build relationships.
According to the Pew Research Center, 32% of young adults and teens have seen that technology has negatively impacted individuals their age. Overall, most young adults believe social media and technology has made a positive impact on themselves and peers.
Although situationships can be frowned upon, they can help individuals find their way in the dating world. Woods suggested it can be beneficial in searching for what someone prefers romantically, without commitment. Woods said that it creates a safe space for someone “trying to understand your own sexuality or what it is that you like.”
Cook shared her perception of why it can be healthy for some to uphold these situationships.
“It’s hard to make connections with people to get to a level where you can be committed. That probably does lead to a lot of uncertainty, too. People want to explore their options without being held down to one,” Cook said.
Dating can be difficult with or without technology. Regardless, people have access to know why more about everyone else than we used to. Situationships can lead to figuring out what someone prefers in a relationship, but they can also harm the search for a relationship someone dreams about.
“I also think that is the reason that you can’t make those connections ever because everyone is looking for everyone instead of a single person,” Cook said.
With romantic relationships, individuals are pursuing long-term connections instead of a one-night stand. If an abundance of people are searching for situationships to lead them to their romantic partners, it can distract everyone else from actively trying to find the person for them.
Situationships can benefit someone if they want to test the waters in finding a connection they want to stick to, but they can also make it difficult to learn to take those steps in making an impactful connection.
This idea can be confusing to decide what to do as a young adult in the dating world. If or when trying out situationships, align expectations about the connection. If someone is looking for a one-time thing, a situationship can be the right choice. If someone else is searching for a long-term commitment, attempt finding real connections and bond with people. This seems simple, but it all depends on preference.
