Things That Happen When You Always Date But You’re Never In A Relationship

So you’re out there in the dating world, shopping around and whatnot, but you’re never exactly in a relationship – sometimes their decision, sometimes yours. Here are some things that occur in that strange dating middle ground that anyone who’s ever been there will certainly be able to relate to.

  1. You get constant questions about your relationship status. You can hardly keep up with your dating life, so it’s no surprise that your friends can’t either.
  2. You’re often confused about your relationship status. How many dates does it take to go from first date to sort of “dating”? Can you be exclusive without being “together” together, or what?
  3. You’re familiar with the occasional dose of total loneliness. Last week things were cool, but this week your love life seems drier than ever. And the flip flop makes it feel even more extreme.
  4. You’re often sleeping with two different people at once. Love it or hate it, it can happen. It’s a plus, as far as your enjoyment is concerned, but a negative for those extra loads of laundry to be done.
  5. You go through lots of “breakups”. It’s not totally clear what constitutes a breakup when you’re not technically in a relationship, but nonetheless you find yourself dealing with quite a few goodbyes that are still tough.
  6. You end up lying more than you’d like. You’re not trying to hurt anyone. In fact, you’re trying to do the opposite and protect people from news about other people that they undoubtedly don’t want to hear.
  7. You have only casual relationships. No matter how much you like a guy, these non relationship dating things tend to stay on the casual side.
  8. Your mom worries about your dating life. Can’t she see that you are totally being productive with your dating life? At least you’re trying.
  9. You’re often uncertain about whether you’ll have a date for any upcoming events. You’d like to take a date to that event next month, but you have no clue who’s going to be on your radar. (If anyone at all.) Plus, sometimes you don’t even get plus ones.
  10. People stop taking your guys seriously. Hey, just because he might be gone next month doesn’t mean he isn’t important to you now.
  11. There’s a lot of changing your mind. The whole point of dating is to get to know people and see if you like each other. Sometimes you just can’t decide.
  12. You’ve had your share of pregnancy scares. Okay, pregnancy scares can happen in any sort of relationship, but they’re particularly scary when you hardly know the guy.
  13. Guys get mad at you. You’ve only been on three dates, so why would this dude assume the two of you are exclusive already?
  14. You get mad at guys. Um, seeing the guy you just went out with on another date already is just… awkward. Do you even say hello? Run in the other direction?
  15. You’re not sure who to call for help. You’d love a ride to the airport, but can’t figure out if it’s better to ask the guy you’re newly seeing, your best friend, or just to Uber it.
  16. Your friends are never sure if they should invite your guy anywhere. They don’t want to get attached to the good ones, or hang out with the not so good ones…
Kate Ferguson is a Los Angeles local and freelance writer for a variety of blog and magazine genres. When she's not writing, the UC Davis graduate is focused on pursuits of the entertainment industry, spin class, and hot sauce. Look for article links, updates, (and the occasional joke) on Twitter @KateFerg or @WriterKateFerg, or check out her personal blog ThatsRandomKate.blogspot.com
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