Dating & relationships are not the same

It’s common to hear someone say they are ‘dating’ another person even though what they really intend to express is that they are in a relationship with said person.

Dating is usually that stage when you both occasionally meet up, hang out, converse, check each other out and if things go well, you move into a relationship.

Here is how it works: when one date turns to two, and goes on and on because two people feel comfortable spending time with each other and see a relationship as the next step, then one of them needs to bring up the talk and express the desire for a more intimate relationship.

If they both feel the same way about each other, then they begin a romantic relationship and become exclusive to each other.

This differentiation is necessary as more people seem to be confused as to what dating and relationships mean and the type of things they imply.

When you are dating, you are only ‘testing the waters’ and you could be going on dates with more than one person at a time. It’s not cheating if you’re just dating them.

Going on dates does not tie you to a relationship with anyone, and it’s also not an agreement to have sex.

ALSO READ:When is the right time to hook up with your online crush

In fact, you do not even owe the person a kiss as a matter of compulsion.

Being in a relationship is a totally different thing.

It is more serious, and connotes more exclusiveness to just one person.

You can date without being in a relationship, but you can’t be in a relationship without dating [at least, it’s not advisable].

And in serious romantic relationships, dating never stops. It’s meant to be a continuous part of the relationship, although it often gets less frequent.

It needs to be said that going on dates does not mean you have to get into a relationship with that person. If the first one or few dates show that you are irredeemably incompatible with them, of course that has to be the end of that.

You can cut it off easily and it's not the same as ending a relationship.

Dating does not also end in romantic relationships alone. It could also be a precursor to friendship with benefits or a casual sexual relationship.

The realities of the present day seems to have many people believing that ‘dating’ and ‘being in a relationship’ mean the same thing.

But now you know better: ‘dating’ and ‘being in a relationship’ are related but they are totally not the same.