The Art Of Navigating A Situationship

Have you ever dated someone without clearly defining the relationship? Or found yourself in a situation where you are constantly spending time with someone, but are not committed to each other? If that's the case, you might be in a situationship.

- Shazrina Shamsudin

In the past, it was relatively easy to define your relationship status. According to Meta, you could either be single, in a relationship, engaged, married, or in a complicated situation.

In recent years, however, relationship styles have outgrown these simplistic definitions – today, words like friends with benefits, polycules, monogamish relationships, booty calls, and situationships have become mainstream, perhaps reflecting the complexities of the current dating landscape.

It’s also becoming increasingly simple to meet people today, whether it’s through dating apps or sliding into their DMs on social media. The options seem unlimited and, like any foodie at a buffet, why restrict yourself to one dish when you can sample everything?

But it’s not that simple: There are actually deeper reasons why individuals are opting to remain commitment-free. According to Bumble’s Dating Trends 2023 study, in Singapore, 39 per cent of respondents said that they avoided marriage because of failed relationships, and 67 per cent are more focused on emotional maturity than physical requirements. As a result, most of them find themselves deprioritising relationships.

This has led to an increasing number of young couples opting for situationships – described as a romantic or sexual relationship that isn’t considered formal or established.

Unlike friends with benefits or booty calls, situationships usually involve some form of emotional connection, but the status of the relationship remains ambiguous in most cases.