Situationships: When it’s more than a fling but not quite a relationship

CEBU CITY, Philippines – We’ve all heard the term – situationship. It’s modern, messy, and often misunderstood.

But what exactly is it? And why do so many of us end up in one?

A situationship is that in-between phase more than friends, less than a committed relationship. You hang out, maybe even act like a couple, but when someone asks, “What are we?”… there’s no clear answer. And that’s where things can get confusing.

Now, situationships aren’t automatically toxic. They can work, if you both know the deal and know how to manage your emotions and expectations. Think of it as your “getting to know” stage.

But the real danger lies in one person catching feelings while the other is just enjoying the “vibes.”

Tips to cruise easily a situationship:

1. Clarity is your best friend. Don’t dance around the “define the relatioship” talk. If you’re both avoiding it, ask yourself why.

2. Check your expectations. Are you hoping this turns into something serious while they’re clearly keeping it casual? That’s a red flag waving at your peace of mind.

3. Set your own emotional boundaries. Just because there’s no label doesn’t mean you have to give unlimited access to your time, energy, or emotions.

4. Communicate consistently. If something changes your feelings, your wants, it is time to speak up. Don’t suffer in silence just to keep things going.

5. Don’t romanticize the “almost.” It’s easy to focus on potential, but what matters is what’s actually happening right now.

6. Know when to leave. If it starts feeling one-sided, emotionally draining, or unclear for too long, it’s okay to walk away—even if nothing “bad” happened.

How does it usually end?

Here’s the truth: not all situationships are doomed. Some naturally grow into a committed relationship especially if both people gradually build trust, emotional intimacy, and decide they want more.

But let’s be real, many also fizzle out, OUCH!

You stop talking. One of you meets someone else. Or worse, you realize you’ve been holding onto hope that they’ll change… but they don’t. And that hurts.

Whatever the outcome, the most important thing is to protect your peace and be honest with yourself. If it’s not serving you, it’s not for you.

At the end of the day, know what you want—and don’t settle for maybe.

Let these stages of situationship by the Filipino band “The Juans” guide you in this thing called “situationship.” /csl