From situationship to nanoship, the Gen-Z dating vocabulary is brimming with ‘ships’. The latest term to enter the list is ‘explorationship’. Don’t worry! It isn’t like situationships, in which you have no idea what is going on or where it is going.

Explorationships are transparent. In essence, explorationships are a laid-back alternative to traditional relationships sans the messiness and chaos of situationships. Explorationships are a level higher than wildflowering in which you don’t limit yourself to the best suitors but explore connections with different people who are not necessarily your type.

Keep reading to find out why ‘explorationship’ could be the next big thing in the world of modern dating.

Credit: Freepik

As the term denotes, explorationship is a meld of two terms - explore and relationship. In explorationships, you merely explore a connection with a prospect without defining it. This dating trend does away with labels, taking the pressure off of dating and letting two people stay in the present and know about each other without worrying about the future.

In explorationship, two individuals come together to find out enough about each other before getting committed. This slow-burn approach is perfect for singles who do not know what they are looking for in a relationship. Daters can take ample time to figure out whether to take explorationship to the next level and become exclusive.

Explorationship is the pre-commitment stage where people slowly transform their uncommitted and informal connections into committed partnerships. It’s different from courtship as one does not have to define the connection in the beginning.

Here’s why Gen-Z is more open to explorationships than traditional dating and relationships.

Credit: Freepik

Explorationships take the pressure off of dating, especially when you start seeing someone new. In this phase, your mind is crawling with a million questions about where this is going or whether he is the one. But when you both decide to enter into an ‘explorationship’, you stop thinking about the future and focus on the present.

Through explorationships, you discover plenty of things about yourself. You get the opportunity to learn what are your likes and dislikes, what you are looking for in a partner, what type of connection suits you, what are your boundaries, dealbreakers and many other things.

In a way, explorationship, could be a mature way of approaching modern dating that gives you room to know yourself better.

There is certainly an element of fun and spontaneity in relationships. It gives you the chance to step out of your comfort zone and be spontaneous. Also, since you are bound by certain expectations, there is more room for freedom and openness in explorationships.

You could have open conversations, engage in last-minute plans and adventures you wouldn’t normally explore. There is a lightheartedness and freedom in explorationships and the bond feels refreshing.

There is ample room to experiment and grow in explorationships. You and your partner can experiment with new things like different activities for dates, trips, intimacy levels and communication approaches without the fear of failure.

Whenever something does not work out, you could look at it as part of the knowing and learning process rather than dealbreaker.

Explorationships can act as a practice field for committed relationships. With every explorationship, you get a much better idea of what type of a relationship you want. It can also help you avoid repeating the same mistakes you committed before. With every explorationship, explore and learn deeply about your preferences and likes for better clarity.

Social and lead images credits: Freepik