An age-old concern that many people are still not very clear on, the dating vs relationship dilemma is one that has existed for quite some time in the whole love sphere. ‘What are we?’, ‘Are we exclusive now?’ or ‘Is this a relationship?’ are some questions that many people find themselves concerned with when they’re falling in love or going out with someone new.
The thing with crossing over from the dating stage to the relationship one is that it happens fairly quickly without you even realizing it. It’s like one day you’re out at a coffee shop still listening to them tell you all about their stories from school still getting to know them like on a first date. And then a day comes when you’re at the same coffee shop, sweating your pits out because you noticed that they still have Bumble downloaded on their phone. And that’s when you’re left wondering while nervously sipping your coffee, what exactly your dynamic with this person is.
When Does One Move From Dating To Being In A Relationship?
What is the tipping point? When does the dating vs relationship divide cease to exist as you realize that you are indeed in a full-fledged, serious relationship with this person? When do they finally become your boyfriend or your girlfriend?
With these tips, you’ll know much better and leave with a lot more clarity about where your relationship is headed and what you really want from it. So read closely and find yourself inching towards the big reveal of what your relationship really is.
1. When you start becoming possessive of them being with others
This is probably the biggest factor which tells you that your initial dating stage is over and that you are now ready to be in a committed relationship with this person. When you’re dating or just ‘going out’, it doesn’t really matter to you that this person you like is probably seeing other people on the side because you just haven’t cultivated that closeness or loyalty yet.
However, the relationship brick is going to hit you when you suddenly realize that you want this person all to yourself and that you cannot stand the thought of them being with somebody else. So if you’ve started scrutinizing her social media to check for other guys commenting on her pictures or every time he tells you that he went out you can’t help but worry if he was on a date with another girl, it’s possible that you’ve shifted over to the relationship side of things.
2. You constantly want to tell them that you love them
First, you need to know this. Saying ‘Hahaha you’re hilarious, I love you’ over a drink because they cracked the funniest joke ever does not necessarily mean that you two are in love or even in a relationship, for that matter. But if they look deep into your eyes, pull you in by the waist and say those words to you like they really mean it, it’s possible that a future relationship is on the horizon and that horizon really isn’t too far.
Even if they don’t say it to you in that cinematic or romantic style, you’ll know when they really mean those words in a way that they want you to be yours. Similarly, you’re going to want to tell them the same thing too. When you find yourself falling in love with this person, all you want to do is tell them how much they mean to you.
3. There’s a new level of comfort in your relationship
Remember when you wouldn’t leave the house to meet her without mousse in your hair? Or when you bought a new dress for his birthday bash because you wanted to be the prettiest woman there? Wanting to gain validation and admiration from the other person is a huge part of the dating scene because you’re still trying to create an impression on this person. But when you’re in a relationship, that impression has already set into the mold and is solidified. So you stop making an effort like you used to.
Now your dates are mostly spent comfortably in your pajamas with Cheezits specks all over your shirt and they still lean in to kiss you every chance that they get. Yup, that’s a relationship. No more show-off or excessive effort – just plain, raw love that does not hide itself anymore.
We hope that by the end of this, you’ve gotten a better idea of what your relationship dynamic is with the person that you were thinking about while reading this. Remember that every relationship progresses at it’s own pace and that not every dating story turns into a long-term relationship. That being said, both phases are extremely enjoyable in their own ways so do make sure you make the most out of the one that you’re in!
