#1 What Is a Casual Relationship?
Casual relationships describe emotional and physical relationships between two individuals who don’t necessarily consider themselves to be in a romantic relationship but may become one at some point. Some casual dates might be looking for a one-night stand rather than a long-term partnership. And some casual date may be single people who want to engage in sexual encounters without having any kind of serious commitments.
For casual couplings, having no intention of creating a committed relationship, but simply having some fun with different partners, there might be nothing wrong with this. It’s OK if they don’t want to commit. However, if they’re into casual dating for its own sake, then there might be something wrong with this because it could lead them to be unfaithful or start cheating on others.
Content of Article:
- #1 What Is a Casual Relationship?
- #2 What Is Casual Dating?
- #3 Is Casual Dating Right For You?
- #4 Cons Of Casual Dating
- #5 Should I Go For A Casual Relationship?
- #6 The 4 Types of Casual Relationships
- #7 Tips of Casual Datings
- #8 Conclusion
#2 What Is Casual Dating?
A casual date or is a physical and an emotional connection between people who meet up for fun without necessarily expecting any sort of commitment from each other.
Casual dating is simply when you spend some quality togetherness with an individual and are interested in doing so again. Of course, you may not feel any intense emotion for this person or experience anything close to “dating” them, but you can definitely go out with others at the same time, so long as you don’t get too emotionally attached. Casual relationships imply that there’s no obligatory or committed relationship between the two of you; instead, your relationship with each other is light and casual without any commitments.
#3 Is Casual Dating Right For You?
It’s difficult to tell whether a casual relationship is right for you without having experienced one before. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of having a casual dating:
#3.1 Pros of casual dating:
- You can have sex when you’re having a regular relationship.
- You get to enjoy romantic moments without having to commit to a serious or long-lasting partnership.
- You might be able to date multiple people at once; however, don’t count on it.
- You have people to hang out with when you’re not working.
- You have someone who can help you out with “couples” and “relationships.”
- If someone doesn’t seem to be a good match for you, you can figure out why without actually having an intimate relationship with that person.
- You can meet people without feeling pressured to talk about yourself.
- It would be nice if you could spend some time with your friend even though you both know that you won’t ever end up together.
- Since you’re not tied down by having to live at someone else’s house, you have more freedom and flexibility than if you were living together.
- You’ll be able to spend quality time with someone you enjoy hanging out with.
- Casual dating can be enjoyable without having to deal with the more tedious aspects of maintaining a relationship.
- You can date someone casually before deciding if you want to pursue a long term romantic/sexual relation with him/her.
- Usually, things aren’t just about sex. You and the other person like spending quality times together, even if you’re not having sex at the moment.
- Casual dating someone isn’t a deal where you need to tell everything about yourself to them before they decide whether or not they want to go out with you.
#4 Cons Of Casual Dating
- It might happen that one partner starts forming real romantic feelings and/or emotional attachments for another partner, and the other partner doesn’t feel the same thing. So if you start developing romantic or sexual fantasies about someone else and they don’t reciprocate, then you might get hurt.
- It’s important to keep in mind that if the other individual develops feelings for you and if these feelings aren’t reciprocated, you might end up feeling guilty about having hurt someone who was in love with you.
- Some may claim they’re just looking to go out with friends, but secretly hope for a real romantic involvement.
- Some people don’t talk clearly enough when they’re describing their needs for casual dates, which causes misunderstands and hurts feelings.
- Some people use casual relationships as an excuse to mislead others.
- If your relationship isn’t exclusive, there may be an increased chance of contracting sexually transmitted diseases.
- There’s always a chance of jealousy if one or both partners date someone else.
- Many people use casual relationships as a reason not to communicate about their needs and their limits.
- Casual dating can sometimes involve being irresponsible, inconsiderate, or disrespectful towards someone else’s feelings.
#5 Should I Go For A Casual Relationship?
As long as any relationship (of whatever kind) is worth it because it matches one’s values and makes them feel good, no matter if it’s a casual dating app relationship, a serious romantic relationship, or even an extramarital affair. Dating doesn’t necessarily have to lead to a longer-lasting romantic commitment or marriage. Casual dating is definitely worth pursuing if that’s all you’re looking for. It might not be worthwhile for someone who wants something more serious or for some people who want lots of commitment and exclusivity from their relationships.
#6 The 4 Types of Casual Relationships
In general, casual relationship can be divided into 5 in itself. These:
#6.1 Contact frequency
One-Nighters are defined as brief but intense sexual encounters between two people who know each other well enough to feel comfortable sleeping together. These encounters are not meant to become long term commitments. If they do, it’s probably time for a change in the type of relationship.
#6.2 Contact types
There are two types of “relationship” — those that are sexual only (one night stands) and those that involve both sexual and nonsexual aspects (booty calls). People who engage in these types of sexual relationship usually form them for reasons other than sex alone.
On the other hand, sex buddy relationships typically involve shared sexual activities with no emotional commitment between partner and friend. Friends with benefits don’t usually include any type of sharing of personal details but may include some level of emotional support from one person to another.
#6.3 Personal disclosure
A study conducted by University of Denver researcher Jennifer L. Mielenz found that people who feel closer to their sex partners in polyamorous situations disclose more than they would if they were single. So sharing intimate details about yourself may be part of having a close relationship with someone else. But simply feeling close to them doesn’t necessarily mean you’re disclosing things.
#6.4 Discussing relationship issues
A person who shares his or her life with someone else often avoids talking about them. Although sexual partners might reveal their emotions to each other, they’re unlikely to disclose how close they feel for their partner. In contrast to people in an open marriage or open relationships, those who maintain a friendship without having sex may keep a secret distance between themselves and their friend. Some people view sex companionships as temporary affairs, so they don’t take the emotional risks associated with disclosing their love.
#6.5 Being friends
There are three types of friendships in casual relationships: None, Resulting, Pre-Existent. Because people in ‘one-nighter’ and ‘booty calls’ relationships don’t usually develop a friendship, sex partners come together as friends once their relationship begins; however, ‘friends with benefits’ are already friends before they start their sexual relationship.
A casual relationship is more complicated than most people realize. It has multiple levels of personal and social involvement, and there are different paths leading towards long-term commitment.
#7 Tips of Casual Datings
Here are some tips that might come in handy during Casual Dating or Casual Relationship:
#7.1 Outline your expectations
Dating casually won’t include the same set of rules that you would expect from a committed relationship. Actually, there might be no expectations at all in a casual relationship.
Don’t make assumptions about what the ground rules might be in the future. Instead, set out the ground rules you would like to follow so there aren’t any surprises later. Some good example sentences are:
- You must choose who you want to see, but the whole thing will be open for viewing.
- We both use protection when we’re having sex.
- We will definitely let each other know if there is any sort of sexual involvement between any of us.
- If either of us decide we’re not interested in doing this any longer, we will at least call each other to let the other know.
#7.2 Communicating about any changes is important
As with all relationships, casual ones aren’t rigid. You can change, feelings change, lifecycle. If something alters, inform your partner. For instance:
“I think it would be best if we went out together less frequently. What do you think?”
“I enjoy hanging out with you, but I don’t want to continue seeing you casually.”
“My original plan was to go out with you tonight. However, now that we’ve been talking for so long, I think I’d prefer going out with someone else instead. Is that okay with you?”
#7.3 Be clear and straightforward when communicating
If you’re communicating something so vague that nobody else understands what you’re trying to say, then maybe you should reconsider how your message is being expressed. A lot of times we unintentionally offend others without meaning to, causing them confusion and annoyance. Use clear examples, avoid confusing metaphors, put your thoughts into precise sentences, and keep an open mind. Even if you think someone doesn’t get what you’re saying, try listening to them anyway. What they may say can actually make you see things differently.
#7.4 Talk about it if you don’t know
Try not to assume or guess what someone else means, but ask them instead. Otherwise, you may send mixed messages and confuse yourself too. For instance:
“Is there anything else you would feel uncomfortable discussing via text message?”
“We both agree that we’re going to be completely open with each other no matter what happens. Right?”
“I’d be honored if you asked me to join you at an event with some of your friend.”
#7.5 It’s important for you to be honest with yourself
People often get into relationships without having much regard for how each person feels, what they think and where they’ll go together. While this can be good fun, it doesn’t necessarily lead to lasting love. In order to make certain you won’t end up hurting yourself or anyone else, it’s best to understand how you feel about casual sex before getting involved. No one should ever enter into a relationship without knowing how he or she truly feels about the matter. Otherwise, you could wind up being disappointed and confused later. And if something does happen and you do find yourself in bed with someone who is not right for you, then you likely won’t be able to move forward, and things may get very stressful indeed.
“If you’re looking for advice from an expert who has been there, check out our tips on telling someone you want to date them. It may help!”
#7.6 Stay in touch with people
After you get to know someone, you should ask them if they think everything is okay between you two. You might say something like “Hey, how are you doing?” or “Do you feel comfortable with me being your girlfriend?” Sometimes people may not talk to each other directly; instead, they’ll answer in reference to themselves. For example, one person might tell another “I love us hanging out.” In these cases, try thinking about what they would be saying if they were talking directly about the issue at hand. Then write down those answers and go back to the person who said that phrase and read through their responses aloud. Doing so might reveal why they answered as they did.
Don’t be afraid to express yourself if you need to talk about anything. Casual doesn’t necessarily imply you don’t care about the other person’s feelings and needs.
#7.7 Always be yourself
Casual dating can be an attractive option to people who aren’t ready for a committed relationship yet. But there may be times when you decide not to pursue a relationship because you know someone wants something else out of it (for example, a marriage proposal). Or maybe you feel uncomfortable with how close the person gets too fast. Communicating these concerns before taking things further will help avoid awkward situations later.
#8 Conclusion
Casual can mean many different things. It can refer to a relationship that isn’t necessarily “serious” but is not just “friends.” It’s a good place to start because it’s easy, straightforward, and gives you room for flexibility. It’s important to know that every relationship is unique and that no two relationships are exactly alike.
Everyone has their own unique needs and requirements. To be successful in a casual relationship, you need to establish clear boundaries and expectations. Casual dating means the relationships aren’t the top priorities in the lives of the partners involved. It doesn’t require as much commitment as a committed one.
It’s healthy to discuss your relationship, even if it doesn’t mean you’re going to end up living together, you don’t want to be committed for life, or you don’t want to feel emotionally attached.