By Kasemire Christina Mulinde
Congratulations, you are in a relationship.
Except you are really not.
You might talk every day, know their favourite food, spend weekends together, meet their friends, and even argue about the same things couples argue about. But somehow, when someone asks, “So what are you two?” everyone suddenly develops amnesia.
Welcome to the world of situationships, or as Kayda from Love Island calls it, being “exclusive.”
It is basically a relationship with all the emotional responsibilities but none of the official commitment or labels. It is the classic “we are not together, but do not talk to anyone else” arrangement. At that point, just admit you are in a situationship, or even a friends-with-benefits situation.
Honestly, it is easy to see why some people love them. Situationships can feel safe. You get companionship without the pressure, affection without the fear of rejection, and someone to call when you are bored, lonely, or simply need emotional support.
The problem begins when feelings enter the chat. While one person might think, “We are just having fun,” the other is already imagining baby names and a future together. That is where things get messy.
The biggest issue with situationships is not that they exist. It is that many people enter them hoping they will magically transform into something serious. They convince themselves that consistency will eventually become commitment.
But sometimes a situationship is exactly what someone told you it was.
The hard truth is that you cannot negotiate someone into choosing you.
Modern dating has made many people afraid of labels. But sometimes labels are not the problem. Clarity is.
Knowing where you stand should not feel like asking for too much because, at the end of the day, nobody wants to be someone’s “almost.”