Textlationship, Zombieing, Orbiting: Your guide to understanding trending Gen Z dating terms

Even though I am a Gen-Z kid, I have little knowledge about the new dating terms. I am sure, there are others like me. Our perception of love is quite different from our parents. Relationship coaches say that one can see more transparency and acceptance of non-traditional practices in today’s dating culture. The youth is in no hurry to give a name to their relationship. 

Dating apps have now increased the options, to choose what sort of relationship you want. For some, this might make it easy to find a person with a similar taste. But if you are still trying to figure it out, this might be rather confusing. Perhaps, having more options doesn’t always make it better.

I never knew that I had also been in a similar type of situation up until I looked up the meaning of some of the dating terms. I have been ghosted, zombied and love-bombed. Yes, you heard that right. 

Have no clue about what this means? Then let me make it clear to you. If there’s been a time when you have been suddenly ignored by a person as if you never existed. Well, that is known as ghosting. Apart from this, if there have been moments when you were talking to someone and they disappear and suddenly drop in a text, that’s zombieing. Believe it or not, this has become an inescapable part of dating. At times, the modern dating dynamics do amuse me.

Many of us might have been in a situation where in the beginning, you receive a lot of attention from someone you like and suddenly all the love and attention stops. This is called love bombing. Most of the time, it happens because of fizzling where one of the partners loses interest in the other person or both partners no longer feel the spark. 

Want to know more about dating terms? Well, there are quite a lot. For instance, recently a friend of mine told me she was in a textlationship. Yes, you heard that right. Even I didn’t know how to react to this. It is a situation where you stay in touch with a person over text and social media. Never met them in real life. It might be hard for you to believe. But today, this is much more common than you think. 

I know of some people who believe in affordating, that is, they keep a tab on the amount of money they spend on each other while dating. 

Most of the time, movies or dramas are my cue to get an insight into the trending Gen Z dating terms. After all, decoding these terms can be quite confusing especially if you haven’t been in that situation before.

For instance, in the movie Newness one sees the dynamics of an open relationship. The protagonists are in a relationship, but at the same time, they are also dating other people. Also, if you have watched the popular Netflix series, Sex Education where the characters Adam and Eric were dating in the beginning. But Adam chose not to tell anyone about their relationship, at first.  That’s known as pocketing.

Many of us out there might have been in situationships, wherein we are much more than friends with a person, but there is no sort of commitment. If you have watched the movie Friends with Benefits or No Strings Attached, you will have a sense of what I am trying to say. 

In the hit Netflix drama You, another dating situation can be seen – orbiting. The main protagonist, Joe ends up stalking his girlfriend even after they have broken up.

Perhaps, these references from Pop culture may make these dating terms not that alien to you. 

These days, many people lose their individuality due to eclipsing and wokefishing. A situation where you emulate the other person’s likes and dislikes. This is done to gain attention from the other person. Then some people have a tough time in their relationships because of groundhogging. They choose partners that are not just right for them. 

After reading this, you might be able to relate more especially if you have been in a similar situation. Perhaps, if you need any advice regarding your relationship, click here.

The new dating lingo keeps changing with the evolving dating culture. Staying updated with these new terms while defining your relationship can be quite challenging. However, knowing these terms will help you understand the dynamics of modern dating. But, what matters is whether you know what you want and whether the other person is putting in the effort. No matter what, stay true and trust your instincts. Remember, relationships will not always be worthless, but the right ones will be worth the wait.

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