You see each other regularly, text all day, share some exceptionally great inside jokes and have even received the “seal of approval” from his friends and family months ago. Before you know it this “thing” you have going on begins to feel like a relationship. There is mutual respect and trust between the two of you, and genuine care for one another, all the things that truly determine whether two people are “title worthy.”
Many people think time is actually what determines this. “It’s been three months and he still hasn’t asked me out!” No. If there isn’t a good relationship yet the title completely loses its value. It might take some three months to build a strong relationship and it might take others six. But naturally once it’s there, you expect it to become nothing other than what it feels like, a relationship.
How about those who fall for the man who just wants a “go with the flow,” “let’s see what happens” kind of “thing” with no titles? It seems manageable; after all you’re a mature college woman who is far too independent to need a title to define your relationship. No doubt you can handle it. But the question is should you HAVE to handle it?
It seems like a crazy epidemic spreading across the dating world, leaving women completely clueless about where they stand with their significant other and pondering the question will he ever ask me out?! But the truth is collegiates, we only have ourselves to blame. Why do we allow men to get away with serious relationships without having to call us their girlfriend?
That’s not to say a title is more important than the relationship itself, but what harm could it possibly do? He might argue “it won’t make a difference,” but if it makes no difference why won’t he make you happy and agree to it?
Having a title isn’t so that you have a boyfriend to #MCM on Instagram or change your status to “in a relationship” on Facebook, it is just a simple form of exclusivity. Titles matter to create a mature agreement on what you are with no confusion or grey areas.
No matter how exclusive things may seem, without a title, anything goes. You may hold him to boyfriend expectations but at the end of the day he isn’t your boyfriend and he owes you nothing. If a strong relationship has been made and he still doesn’t want to make it official, there’s no need to settle. Remember to always recognize your worth and only ever be with someone who does too.
Comment your opinions and stories below. Do title-less relationships work? Do they last?