Welcome to the world of modern dating, where terms like "booty call," "friends with benefits," and the latest buzzword, "Situationship," fill our urban dictionaries. It's like a never-ending game of relationship Scrabble, isn't it? But fear not, because we're here to guide you through this crazy jungle of romantic ambiguity.
We recently hosted our first event at Soho House (Shoreditch) titled ‘Dating in the Digital Age’ and received a rapturous response when we asked the audience if they were familiar with the term Situationship. One of our panellists, one-half of TikTok sensation 2-girls-1 pup kindly explained the term in more detail.
According to the experts, it's a romantic arrangement that exists before the all-important "defining the relationship" conversation. It can be a temporary thing, perfect for those early dates when you're not quite ready to slap a label on it. Or, it can be a more long-term deal, like when you're in London for a short assignment and want to keep things casual.
So, what's fueling the rise of these not-quite relationships? Blame it on the digital age. Online dating apps have given us a paradox of choice. With so many options at our fingertips, it's hard to commit to the person right in front of us because, well, there's always someone else a ‘swipe away’ (read to the end to find out how Mattr are changing this).
Situationships aren't all bad. They can be fun, and liberating, and provide an opportunity to get to know someone without the pressure of making a commitment. The problem? Feelings often creep in, thanks to the release of oxytocin when we're intimate with someone, and that's when things get complicated.
Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of these not-quite-relationships:
Pros:
Cons:
Check out our Instagram post on Situationships, I’m sure you can relate, as we’ve all been involved in one right?
Now that you've got the roadmap to navigate the world of situationships, you can decide if this modern dating style suits you. But remember, it's essential to prioritise your own needs and wants. Don't compromise yourself just to accommodate someone else's wishes. Love should be a two-way street, and if you're not getting what you need, it might be time to look for something more fulfilling.
Dating apps are fueled by the paradox of choice, coupled with collaborative filtering most dating app users are finding it difficult to build meaningful relationships, particularly in large cities like London. In fact, we shared a recent stat stating that you have a ‘1 in 374 chance of finding love in London.’
At Mattr our goal is to build a community centred around transparency encouraging users to be their authentic selves without fear of judgement. We limit potential daily matches to up to 7 per day, ridding of the ‘grass is always greener syndrome’ so that users can take their time to explore potential matches beneath the surface level.
We have replaced discriminatory algorithms the vast majority of dating apps use termed ‘collaborative filtering’ by matching users based on common interests and NOT on other user behaviours.
Download Mattr Today on iOS.
Android is coming soon: Head over to the Android section on the home page to be notified when we go live.