VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dating app
Plenty of Fish today revealed its fifth annual list of dating
trends for the upcoming year. To identify the new trends, Plenty of
Fish polled nearly 7,000 U.S. members and found that singles are
simultaneously experiencing clarity and uncertainty as it relates
to relationships, reinforcing just how acutely the pandemic has,
and will continue to, influence dating.
2022 Dating Trends Include:
- Baecationing (/bey-key-shuhn-ing): Inviting a blind date
or someone you just started dating on vacation because YOLO! Over
1/3 (38%) of singles and 43% of Gen-Z have experienced this trend.
After 18+ months inside, you really do need that sunset beach photo
with BAE - who cares if you kinda, maybe, just met.
- Communidating (/kuh-myoo-nuh-dayt-ting): Using dating
apps not just for dating and intimate relationships but to make
friends and connections. Being single doesn't mean you have to go
through life solo. In fact, 50% of singles, including 57% of Gen-Z,
have fostered new friendships through dating apps this year.
- Dar-WIN-ing (/dahr-win-ing): Refusing to date someone
who doesn't believe in science. From flat-earthers to anti-vaxxers,
1/3 of singles know someone who has done this, including nearly 1/4
of Gen-Z.
- Déjà vu-ing (/dey-zhah -voo-ing): Doing the same things
with a new partner that you did with your ex. From strawberry ice
cream and car rides to Malibu, 1/3 of singles have done this to
someone they were dating, and half (52%) know someone who has done
this to someone. On the real though, when you gonna tell her, that
we did that too?
- Gambiting (/gam-bit-ing): Taking a strategic and
calculated approach to dating, like a game of chess. Turns out, 31%
of singles admit to Gambiting, including 1/3 of Gen-Z. Dinner
reservation at a place that's not too loud but still has a fun
vibe, check. Outfit that looks like you tried, but not too hard,
check. Fun and engaging conversation that's personal but not
intrusive, check. Post-date text to set-up future plans,
checkmate!
- Handticipation (/hand-tis-uh-pey-shuhn): The anxiety
that comes with being unsure about the physical boundaries that are
acceptable due to social distancing from the pandemic, such as
whether to hug, handshake, or wave at your date. While non-huggers
and sweaty-palmers may rejoice, 64% of singles have experienced
this awkward trend.
- Hesidating (/hez-i-dayt-ing): Feeling indifferent about
dating, unsure if you want to date seriously or casually because
life in general is so uncertain right now. While some celebrity
couples (Hello, Bennifer) have recently hopped into new
relationships quickly and with certainty, 70% of singles say
hesidating is a very real thing.
- Megxit-ing (/meg-zit-ing): Quitting a toxic relationship
with family and friends that negatively impacts your relationship.
A whopping 50% of singles, including 57% of Gen-Z, have done this,
following the lead of a certain royal couple who recently said
"cheerio" to tea, crumpets and toxic relationships.
- Moderna Love (/mod-ern-uh luhv): Considering COVID-19
vaccination stats, including which shot received, as a desirable
trait. Thirty percent of singles know someone who has done this.
Vax status is now a must-know dating Q - are you a Pfizer Player? A
J&J Bae? Or a Moderna Mami? Turns out getting the shot can help
you shoot your shot.
- Resigning (/ri-zahyn-ing): Ending a serious relationship
due to perspective and clarity gained through the pandemic. There
are no regrets because you realized you weren't content and don't
want to settle. One-in-five women have done this and 1/4 of Boomers
have. Yep, the "Great Resignation" has spread to personal lives,
folks. We are keeping those standards way up – no settlers
here.
- Transformate-ing (/trans-fawr-meyt-ing): Morphing into
your counterpart by dressing and acting like them. Celebrity
bombshells aren't the only foxes guilty of this trend, over
1/4 (26%) of singles have experienced this trend, including nearly
half (49%) of Gen-Z.
- Weekend Up-Dating (/week-end uhp-dayt-ing): Using
every new relationship as a kickstart to dating someone you find
even more attractive, more successful and with whom you have more
chemistry! While not everyone has the same luck as our favorite
Saturday night comedian whose roller coaster romances get a little
sweetener every time he dates someone new, 1-in-5 singles
say they too "upgrade" with each new relationship. Thank you,
next.
"From pop culture to the pandemic, there are many factors that
influence dating," said Kate
MacLean, resident dating expert at Plenty of Fish. "These
trends demonstrate a new era in dating that's been riddled with
uncertainty but has thrived with honest communication and a bit of
creativity."
"Trends like Hesidating and Hanticipation are prime examples of
how dating and expectations have changed over the past two years,"
said relationship and dating expert Dr. Jess O'Reilly. "Things that used to be
second-nature, like handshakes and hugs, can now add an element of
awkwardness and can even be deal-breakers. Fortunately, daters have
also become more comfortable with open communication, so discussing
boundaries — from whether they're willing to kiss on a first date
to whether or not they want something committed or casual — is no
longer taboo."
Read more about dating trends and other dating-related advice on
the Plenty of Fish blog, The Latest Catch. Join the conversation on
social by following Plenty of Fish on Instagram, Twitter and
Facebook and using #DatingTrends and #POFDictionary.
Dating Trends Survey Methodology
Nearly 6,700
U.S.-based Plenty of Fish users were polled online in October 2021. Participants were ages 18-60 with
62% identifying as male and 37% female.
About Plenty of Fish
Plenty of Fish, a Match Group
(NASDAQ: MTCH) company, is one of the largest global online dating
companies, and is available in 11 languages and more than 20
countries. Unlike many dating offerings today, Plenty of Fish
offers a less prescriptive, low-pressure user experience that
allows singles to discover what they're looking for.
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SOURCE Plenty of Fish