Love it or hate it, ITV reality dating show Love Island and its idiosyncratic language has become part of the status quo over the last few years.
But beyond the dramatic recouplings, the programme also offers a glimpse into modern dating realities, and the labels apportioned to relationships during the early stages of their formation, especially those that have not yet been defined.
So much so, that the word ‘situationship’ narrowly missed out on being the ‘Oxford Word of the Year 2023’, making it to the final along with ‘Prompt’ (as in Ai) and ‘Swiftie’ but ultimately losing out to ‘Rizz’ (aka style, charm or attractiveness with someone’s ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner’.
So one online researcher wanted to find out where in the UK a person is most likely to find themselves in a ‘situationship’ and highlight the key signs. And Reading has come out third.
WhichBingo created the ‘Situationship Index Score’, which consists of three equally weighted metrics: the number of singles, the rate of related social media posts, and the rate of related Google searches.
A score was then given to each city out of 10, and Reading came in third with a score of 6.66, losing only to Manchester (9.07) and London (6.95)
Despite its smaller size, Reading surprisingly snags third place on the situationship hotspot list. While the town has under 75,000 singles, it seems they’re quite vocal online. A surprising 1 in 12 singles have discussed their situationships on social media. Additionally, their Google search rate for “situationships” is even higher than London, with 1,680 confused singles seeking answers (when taking population sizes into account).
So what are five key signs you might be in a Love Island type situationship?
All sizzle, no commitment: You’ve got the heat minus the labels. Steamy dates and flirty texts, but the DTR (define the relationship) talk? Not happening.
Insta-famous…but solo: You’re always out together, but your social media feeds tell a different story. Single and thriving online, just like the islanders who keep things private.
Friend-zone freeze: You’re practically inseparable, yet meeting their friends is always “next time.” Just like islanders keeping their villa romance separate, you might be stuck in couple limbo.
Last-minute love lines: Plans are as spontaneous as a recoupling ceremony. Forget elaborate dates, it’s all about instant gratification, mirroring the show’s casual hookups.
Mixed signals and going MIA: You crave clarity, but your partner’s a master of the disappearing act. This emotional unavailability is a situationship trademark.
To read the full report, visit www.whichbingo.co.uk/news/uks-situationship-hotspots/
