Dating and hanging out are different concepts, but they often go side by side. To understand what is between you, it is worth taking a closer look.
You've met on a single women website. Now you spend time together, often call each other, come up with affectionate nicknames but don’t talk about relationships. This happens when two people in love understand that they are together, and don’t touch on this topic. But it also happens that one of the partners is confused and wonders what is happening. So, are we dating or hanging out?
Why Is It Sometimes Difficult to Define Whether It’s Just a Hanging Out or Dating?
Am I dating or hanging out? – you may ask. Of course, any relationship is a subtle thing. In childhood, everything was simple. At 4 years old, you could approach any child you liked in the sandbox and say, “Let’s be friends with you,” and you immediately rushed to build sand houses together. And at 7 years old, you announced to parents, “I love this girl, and she is my future spouse.” In adulthood, it all starts with pre-contact. And even if it develops into something, it is completely not clear what will come out of it. Will it be well with a person for 1 week, 1 month or a whole year? And the adult world teaches us to hide our intentions. Satisfying a need directly can be scary, unsafe, and indecent. So, we mask our feelings and pretend.
In male-female relationships, there are more disguises and omissions than anywhere else. First, we visit lonely women seeking men dating sites, then we want to attract each other, and then we want to get what we want. But at the same time, it is advisable to remain in the format of “I’m good” for yourself and others because our two greatest fears from childhood are to be rejected and to be bad.
So, what do we have? She and he meet, they are attracted to each other, but they don’t understand what they both want from relationships. They are dating but not dating.
Main Signs of Hanging Out
Are u dating or hanging out? Well, you constantly see each other, talk on the phone for hours, and send messages all day long. It seems to you that it is almost a perfect relationship, but your partner is indifferent. “What’s happening?” - you ask yourself. It’s simple: you just hang out together.
1. They constantly tell you what a good friend you are
Of course, often people call friends even those that they like. But people in love will never say that you are a very good friend. Maybe they will say it once, but this is definitely not the quality that attracts them the most. If they constantly tell you about friendship and how cool it is to hang out with you, there is no reason to think about something romantic.
2. They ignore you sometimes
Dating or hanging out? Look, ignore is a clear indicator of a frivolous attitude. Yes, they may be busy, but if they are really interested in you, they will definitely make time to call, write or come. Take it for a fact: if people are in love, then they turn the mountains to be with their loved ones.
3. They start dating someone else
Here, it seems, no explanation is needed. However, if you like someone, you can amuse yourself with the hope that they also feel something to you (even if they date another). Don’t waste your time. Things are as they really are, and you don’t have to come up with excuses for yourself. Yes, it’s unpleasant, but you shouldn’t waste your precious time.
4. They never get jealous of you
How will you react if you see that a person you like is flirting with another? Most likely, you would be upset or angry. But, in any case, this wouldn’t leave you indifferent. Therefore, if they see that someone is flirting with you, and they don’t react to it at all, most likely, they just hang out with you.
5. They laugh in response to the question of “Are we a couple?”
Pay attention to how they respond to such questions. If they are embarrassed and nervous, then this is probably because they would like to answer, “Yes.” But if they react as if this is the most ridiculous thing they have ever heard, most likely, they just don’t perceive you as their possible soulmate. Do you still need the hang out meaning? It seems so obvious!
What Is Dating: Dating vs Hanging Out Differences
You feel good together, but you can’t understand what exactly is happening between you. Is there any doubt whether everything is serious or not? It is likely that by understanding the concepts of hanging out vs. dating, you will find answers to many questions.
1. When you date, you love
First of all, you understand the definition of a date. So, you trust each other. You neither cheat, nor lie, nor hurt. You know that your partner respects you, your feelings and your interests, and they don’t think only about themselves and their comfort.
When you spend your free time together, you have no idea if your partner is meeting with others You don’t know if they think only of you or you can be one of many. You can’t demand loyalty and devotion to you. They just look for ways of how to hang out with a girl or a guy.
2. When you date, moments of emotional intimacy mean a lot
Each kiss is filled with love. Each hug is a manifestation of your feelings. Physical attraction is only part of the equation, and the other components are emotional, spiritual, and mental.
When you just hang out, you exaggerate every gesture. You hope that you are as important to them as they are to you, but you are completely unsure of this. You are a “reliable way” to have a good time.
3. When you date, you introduce each other to your friends and your family
You are free to publish joint photos on social networks. You neither hide from prying eyes nor tell everyone that you are just wonderful friends. These are the obvious signs you are dating.
When you hang out, you don’t know how to introduce your partners because you have no idea if they are your partners at all. You can’t answer the question of others whether you are dating or just hang out.
4. When you date, you feel completely comfortable with these people
What is considered a date? This is complete trust. You tell them all your secrets. You open up without fear of criticism or condemnation. You show your true self because you know that they like you the way you are.
When you just hang out, you always worry You’re nervous about how good you look. You worry about whether you are saying or doing the right thing. You try to impress and are less focused on the current moment.
5. When you date, there is no room for doubt in a real relationship
Both partners feel absolutely calm and comfortable. And how else? After all, they are exactly where they should be! When you just hang out, you get lost in conjecture You never know for sure what the other partner feels, and also doubt that you can become a real couple.
How to Turn Hanging Out into Dating
If you just hang out together and want to understand the prospects or go to another level (serious relationship, for example), the following steps will certainly help you.
1. Create a sense of emotional security
What it is? This means that your partners know that they can freely share their thoughts, feelings, and desires with you, without fear of condemnation. When people mention that it is “easy to communicate” with you, this means that they are ready to tell you something that they will not tell anyone else because they are sure that you will not condemn or criticize.
2. Keep a fun atmosphere in a relationship
What constitutes a date? Good memories! These memories are related to what we have experienced together. If you are constantly having fun, you will associate pleasant feelings with this person. Therefore, if you want to become someone more for them, create all the conditions so that they want to be with you in a romantic relationship.
3. Be sincere
Sincerity is a powerful weapon in any battle, especially in love. If you feel that you want to translate your communication into a serious relationship, try to act as if you are already in them. Take care of your partners, show them that the relationship may be better, more enjoyable. If they feel something for you, they will definitely support such an initiative. Do something sincerely without the desire to get something in return.
Serious relationships are often confused with co-dependence. But what is a date? Most people don’t learn what it is and how to build relationships from childhood. Because of this, we also confuse serious intentions with something in a beautiful wrapper. You need to realize in time what kind of relationship you are in and whether this meets your goals and desires, so as not to waste time. After all, relationships mustn’t take away vitality, but motivate and make a person better.