Dating Rules According to Gen Z

When it comes to relationships, every new generation has its M.O. As society changes and shows signs of progress, it leaves a mark on young people who’re heading for adulthood. However, the way they go about their love lives doesn’t always resemble the way their older siblings or parents followed. And in most cases, it’s completely different.

But what’s the difference between Millennials, Boomers, and Gen Z? Are they so different from what we’ve seen in the past? Well, the differences don’t have to be so clear and obvious. They’re mostly subtle and hard to keep track of for older men and women. Therefore, we think it’s essential to analyze and share Gen Z’s guide to getting down.

No to Wokes

In case you’ve been living under a rock for some time now, you’ve probably missed the whole shenanigans of the woke culture. So, we’ll explain what it is and how it affects young adults in First World countries. Woke means you are aware of social and racial injustices around the globe and express concern for them. However, being woke doesn’t mean you care about those issues and could be using them to impress someone you like and want to take on a date — aka “wokefishing.”

Recent studies in the U.S. suggest that young people are dominantly liberal. They’re pretty much into politics and issues that surround us daily. That means that they care what their partner’s views are on numerous socio-political topics. Furthermore, most of them claim they would never date or have a sexual relationship with someone racist, homophobic, antisemitic, etc. Unlike in the ‘90s or early ‘00s, America’s showing signs of serious polarization, meaning that political issues are piercing into the everyday life of almost everyone.

RELATED: What Does It Take to Be Woke, Stay Woke, and Live Woke?

Career Over Sex

Although most clueless older people think that today’s youth is more into social media, gaming, and cheap fun and sex, they couldn’t be more wrong. You see, as a generation that grew up in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, Gen Z’s are looking for jobs and security because they know what’s at stake.

It’s pretty obvious if you ask college students who need to make money and pay their enormous debts back. So, judging the youth of today for thinking a career is more important than sexual engagement is oversimplifying things. Moreover, it does sound like something your stereotypical grandpa would say.

Relationship Labels Are Important Again

Even if you’d assume they’re more freethinking and relaxed, Gen Zs like to put labels on things. And no, we don’t mean their numerous sexual identities. We’re talking about intimate relationships. Yup, they want to know what’s their status with someone they’re going out or having casual sex with.

Being someone’s boyfriend or girlfriend is pretty important these days. You need to make it official for it to work out. Long gone are the heydays of the ‘70s-free-love concepts and not giving two cents whether the two of you will eventually make it. Labels are important as much as your political views, for better or worse.

RELATED: When Should You Label A Relationship?

Ghosting Is Part of It

Setting trends is always a big thing for a new generation. Whether it’s something good or bad doesn’t matter as long as it’s theirs and theirs only. The thing that sets out among the young people of today is ghosting someone while texting. Namely, ghosting is not responding while making it clear you’ve seen or read their message. You know, two blue ticks that make you go mad.

Since today’s hook-up culture mostly revolves around dating apps, texting is a big part of the way young people communicate. So, let’s say you match with someone on Tinder and you switch to WhatsApp subsequently. You message each other for a couple of hours or days, and at some point — they stop. What’s that all about? Wasn’t it obvious the two of you had a thing going? Well, no.

It’s not like young men and women enjoy ghosting others. It has more to do with the fear of someone ghosting you. So, they do it first to make themselves feel better and in control. It’s a strange concept to understand, but it’s just the way it is nowadays. Hence, free dating advice — don’t expect too much from someone on dating sites and apps.

Soulmates Are Less Important

Not so long ago, there was a surge of godawful teen romcoms. Yeah, the late ‘90s and early ‘00s were full of them. They mostly took place around college campuses and small towns and had one thing in common. Namely, teens in those flicks were looking for that perfect one that would stand by their side forever and after. However, it’s no longer like that at all.

Young people aren’t that romantic and optimistic when it comes to long-term relationships. Moreover, they’re more into casual sexual encounters than fantasizing about how they’re going to get married and have a ton of kids. Modern dating is like today’s life — fast and relentless about feelings and some bigger concepts.

Not to sound like some grumpy old fella, but it just seems so superficial. Nevertheless, it’s a new wave that makes teens click these days. In their eyes, it’s better to experiment while you can and not have regrets when you get older. It’s all about living in the present, no matter how cheap and cliche that might sound.

Final Thoughts

Generation after generation, people look at teens and young adults as superficial and shallow. Nevertheless, that’s just nonsense and a generalization of what they see before their eyes. The thing is that we all age and become more and more nostalgic about our youth and the days gone by, failing to make a firm connection with the present. The same will happen to them at some point, making them just another drop in the ocean of life.