Do you think you need more understanding of this new Gen Z term for relationships? Learn about the label from these five influential couples
In the past, suitors were labeled as clear and straightforward with their intentions. But due to today’s rise of easier and faster means of communication, it seems as though the youth is taking classic romantic intentions for granted, which has led to taking the dating culture to a whole new level. With tweets, podcasts, and TikToks spreading the term “situationship” like wildfire, it is just fitting that we delve into this conversation—examining its roots to understand why many can’t refrain from this contemporary term for dating.
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Ahead are the perspectives of these five influential couples, showing us that there’s a lot we can learn about a situationship and the impact they can have on modern relationships.
Kryz Uy and Slater Young
First things first, Kryz and Slater started the conversation about situationships by simply defining the new term. According to their research, a situationship is an uncommitted romantic relationship, found in between the “getting to know” stage and the boyfriend-girlfriend label. While undefined relationships were already a thing of the past, the couple believes that new gen has found a way to reinvent it with a new term. As a happily married couple, they gave tips as to how the youth will deal when their relationship strings attached are entangled.
Further in the conversation, Slater asked Kryz if she thinks that women are at loss in this set-up. Kryz then clarified that the issue is not specifically based on gender, but on who doesn’t agree with the relationship dynamic. They also talked about the dangers of being in a situationship and made their listeners understand that laying clear intentions—regardless of generation—is important. The couple agrees that situationships might either be a good or a bad thing. For one, people in it should enjoy and not overthink the next step too much. But for those who are looking for serious commitments, this kind of arrangement is emotionally-charged and is impossible to sustain for a long time.
Saab Magalona and Jim Bacarro
Saab and Jim agreed to talk about this new term because many of their friends have entered the dating scene. In their podcast episode, the couple talked about the five signs of being in a situationship, and ways to exit the ship or reach a next-level destination in the relationship by giving the other person hints. The five signs they mentioned were the following: no relationship milestones, no exclusivity, no long-term plans, inconsistency, and no emotional connection.
This Gen Z term may bring confusion to the context of romantic relationships and dating, but their major advice for their listeners is to not fear clarification. The couple suggests being honest and following your heart if you are involved in a situationship. Sometimes, it’s better to step away from the situation and focus on more relationships that give you assurance. And perhaps it’s time to surround yourself with people who share your values when it comes to romance.
Rei Germar and Miggy Romulo
Photography MIK PRIMACIO
This third couple may not be talking about the trending term directly, but they managed to inspire single people out there to raise their bar in relationships. As a very influential couple across social media, their followers admire how Rei Germar and Miggy Romulo make sure to assure each other that they are loved and respected. With the trending term of situationships all over TikTok, it’s clear how their fans wish to also meet a man like Miggy, a kind of man who is willing to define the relationship and treat his girl right. They even shared their love story on Miggy’s YouTube vlog four years ago.
Jerald Napoles and Kim Molina
This social media couple cleared at the beginning of their podcast that a situationship isn’t a friends-with-benefits type of thing, but rather a gray area that confuses one or the other if their relationship has the potential to progress romantically. The couple acknowledges that this term was probably formed in today’s generation because unlike before, courtship is not much given importance at present. But the refreshing perspective that Kim and Jerald highlighted in the podcast are the advantages surprisingly found in situationships. To end the podcast, the couple’s advice to people with undefined labels is the importance of understanding the situation you are in because this kind of set-up is temporary and should soon be defined to avoid wasting each other’s time.
Yani Moya and Alec Cuenca
As Gen Zs continue to use the term “situationship” in the dating space, another influential couple proved that in this modern era, there are still people who are willing to commit to a romantic relationship. While in a healthy romantic relationship in a contemporary world, both Yani and Alec openly share their learnings and advice about relationships. In a YouTube video with Alec, Yani shared how happy she is that they started their relationship as good friends—contrary to what people define as a situationship. Alec agreed with Yani because he believes that friendship is the foundation of trust and respect, more than love.
Featured Image from MIK PRIMACIO (via Instagram)
