Modern-day dating is almost as easy as finding parking at Cal State Fullerton at 8:45 a.m. on the first day of the semester.
By Gabrielle Beasca
You search high and low, trying to find that sweet spot, but end up parking your caboose in a place that could land you an unsettling ticket. To avoid the trouble of navigating this new terrain of modern dating, we’ve outlined some of the most popular terms and awkward dating situations. So consider this list as the angelic student that points you straight to their parking spot, so you can park your heart in the right place.
1. Cuffing Season is the time of the year when people are most inclined to be in a relationship due to a spike in loneliness caused by cold weather. Relationships formed at this time tend to be short and fall apart when winter thaws out.
2. Love Bombing is the act of overwhelming your romantic partner with Disney-like adoration, all with the intention of manipulating the other. Psychology Today notes that this is commonly practiced by narcissists.
3. Orbiting is when someone who ghosted you continues to view your Instagram stories and like your posts. Anna Lovine coined this term, explaining that this is when someone keeps you close enough to see you, but far enough to never talk.
4. Submarining is when a person who ghosted you suddenly pops back into your life, offering no excuse for their absence, and acts as if nothing has changed since they disappeared.
5. Gatsbying/Instagrandstanding is when you post on social media specifically to win the attention or favor of a specific person. Unlike thirst trapping, these posts include humble-brags and activities that the intended viewer takes great interest in.
6. Kittenfishing is when you intentionally exaggerate or omit information about yourself in order to increase the likelihood of gaining a match. For instance, when your profile photo caption reads “#FitnessJunkie,” but the photo you posted was taken two years ago, and you haven’t really done anything remotely active since then.
7. Situationship is an intimate relationship where both individuals actively engage in ‘couple-like’ activities with each other without outwardly committing to a label. You want each other, but you’d also like to keep your options open.
Whether you prefer to keep things casual or want to find your perfect match, it’s clear that dating is continuing to get more complex for students.
