Casual Dating Vs. Serious Dating: What You Should Know?

Online dating has made it a tad easier to find you a new hookup partner whenever you like. You may have already been in a relationship, but do not be surprised if you notice someone else is an even better choice. You move out of that relationship just because you think you were dating casually. What should you do if the other partner was serious about it all along? Knowing what's casual dating is important because you may find people who define casual dating differently. But, asking the right people is the key, as you should not expect a good response from a single person with a disastrous dating track record. Only an expert can help you get an insight into your relationship problem.

Understand that the dating world is very complex and full of ambiguities. You are likely to feel confused when someone asks if you are dating seriously or you are for casual hookups. How do you tell the difference in both? As implied by the name, casual dating is a lot more relaxed form of dating. It may involve talking to a person, having deep conversations, meeting for date nights, and occasionally engage in casual sex. There is no commitment at play, though. When both of you are for casually hookups, there should be no jealously at all, knowing the other hookup partner is seeing someone else at the same time. Hookup daters do not feel bad about not being able to meet each other every week. There are never any hard feelings attached to this relationship dynamic.

Serious dating is completely opposite to it and involves serious commitment. You are with someone because you have true feelings for them. You are not "allowed" to see anyone else so long as you are with your "partner."

It shows that you want to start a life with your partner, but you are in no rush to hitch and have kids. Knowing more about these types of relationships will help you decide what to expect in the future.

Casually Dating Rules You Need to Follow

Getting an idea about casual dating meaning puts you in a better place to decide what you want out of your relationships. Most people are clear that a casual relationship means you do not want to marry the person or are not interested in keeping them around long-term. But, to understand the casual hookup meaning, you need to figure what rules are in place and how to follow them to the dot.

Everyone involved should know the relationship status. It is okay if you are not interested in anything serious, but ensure that others know it too. Make it very clear from the start that you are not aiming for anything serious. It gives the other person a chance to think it over and decide if they want it that way.
There should be respect for all. Casual relationships are still relationships and demand respect. Knowing that your hookup partner is not here to stay does not give you the right to disrespect them in any way. Respect is essential in all relationships, serious, casual, or somewhere in between. There is indeed no commitment but treating them with kindness is important.
There is no accountability in play. In serious relationships, you need to be ready to make compromises, check in more often, and spend a solid chunk of your time with your partner. Casual dating does not come with this baggage, as you are allowed to come and go whenever you like with little accountability.
There can be more partners. One of the many casual dating rules is that you do not question your partner for seeing someone else at the same time. If they believe they can handle multiple partners, no one should have issues with that. They never have to follow any conventional relationship standards here.
There should never be possessiveness. An important rule of casual dating is that no partner should feel possessive about the other. You have no right to question your hookup partner after seeing him with someone else on social media. Be quick to shut it down as soon as you notice your dating partner getting possessive.
There should be short-term plans. You are not together for life, so why make future plans at all? You can make plans for a day or two in advance if you are going to meet someone on Saturday night, but that is about it, folks. Start planning anything longer than that and know that you are entering into the relationship territory. Learn to live in the moment, knowing you might never see the same person again the next weekend.
There is no place for personal favors. For anyone involved in casually dating, know that personal favors will always be a no-go. Your casual dating hookup partner is not the one to call when you need a hand. These relationships are devoid of any kinds of expectations.

Above all, know that these relationships will eventually end, and you two should be doing it like a grownup. A good way is to be straight and tell them what you feel or simply stop calling them. Being honest is usually the best way to handle the situation, and sometimes, a simple text message would do.

More about Serious and Casual Dating Advice

You know about casual fun meaning, and you already know what separates it from serious dating. Learning about casual hookup rules will definitely save you from serious heartache when your hookup partner eventually decides to move on. Here are a few tips to help you maintain the right frame of mind when dating someone, casually or seriously:

Casual Dating Advice

Your intentions matter a lot. Therefore, be sure to convey what you want out of a relationship. Your online dating profiles should clearly mention you want casual flings. Make it clear in your conversations as well to ensure both of you are on the same page.
Be free to make plans to spend some quality time together but do not plan too ahead. A calendar of plans with your hookup partner means your exploring the relationship territory. It defeats the entire purpose. So, what's the point of casual dating if you cannot look elsewhere?
Do not be shy to share your true feelings right from the start. If you develop a liking for your casual dating partner and would want to turn it into something serious, tell them. Do not be sad if they have different ideas.

Serious Dating Advice

Stop seeing others when you feel serious about one partner. Putting your other dates on pause would also give you time to rethink and act accordingly.
Share your intentions and convey your true feelings to ensure the other person knows how you perceive that relationship.
Do not make deep plans a little too early. Talking about marriage and kids on your second date may be a bit scary.
Communication is the key to all relationships. Be sure to utilize different ways to share your thoughts with someone you have just met, offline or online.

Understanding the Difference in Casual vs. Serious Dating

How does casual dating work? You already know the rules, so it is easy to determine your relationship status. If you do it through online sites, it works quite conveniently. All you have to do is create an account, fill out your profile page, share that you are into casual dating with no-strings-attached kind of fun, and start hearing from like-minded people.

However, you get the most out of your efforts when you are clear about the type of dating you like. There are certain casual fling rules to understand, and there are serious dating rules not to be overlooked. Understanding the difference between the two is crucial. The level of commitment and exclusivity are two major aspects separating both relationship types.

There are no expectations of consistent texting, regular meetings, or anything. In serious dating, though, you are exclusively committed to one person. There are ground rules and expectations about what you do when you communicate, how often you meet, and with whom you spend more of your time.

You cannot specifically pinpoint which dating type is better. They both serve specific purposes. It is fun to engage in casual flings, especially when serious dating does not make a lot of sense. You might be too young, too busy, too independent, or too old to commit seriously. But, the other side of the picture shows how deeply fulfilling a serious relationship can be.

Quite interestingly, sometimes, you think you are dating someone casually, but you are often a little too engrossed in it that it turns into something more serious. For instance, if you started dating casually but are not sure when to meet your casual dating partner, know that it is becoming something else. In casual dating, you usually know nothing about meeting your hookup partner again. Sometimes, you never see them again. Similarly, it may start as a casual hookup, but know that there is something more if your co-workers, friends, and even family members mistake you as a couple. If no one cares or asks about your relationship status, it means you are together for a casual fling.

Mostly, your friends and co-workers take you as a serious couple because you invite your hookup partner to everything. It is something missing in casual hookups, and that is why no one ever confuses those flings with anything else. Similarly, any exchange of "good morning" texts and doing it quite often also suggests you are breaking barriers and turning your casual fling into something more serious. Communication is emphasized in serious relationships and is not a characteristic of casual relationships.

Why Do Guys Want Casual Relationships?

How many times have you heard a guy say, "I want a casual hookup fun without any serious commitment?" Do you wonder why they insist on finding such hookups? There are surely many interesting reasons for that. For instance:

They want short-term fun without any distractions or any sort of emotional responsibilities. They are more interested in no-strings-attached sex and nothing else. If it feels nice, they like to stick with it for a while. Eventually, they move on.
They like new friends with benefits. They love the idea of hanging out with a hot girl who is a party animal and does mind getting naughty afterwards.
They do not want any restrictions on their dating lives. They know they limit themselves to only one partner when they are into serious dating. They enjoy monogamy a lot. They know their partners are just fine with the fact that they see someone else at the same time. There are no expectations because the arrangement is never one-sided. Both parties are aware of what they are getting into, which is the true beauty of causal hookups.
They are not ready to deal with jealousy. Women interested in casual dating are never clingy or jealous. It gives men enough space to live life the way they want. They know their dating hookup partners would not argue about not texting or calling them often.

Above all, guys want to be in casual flings because they come with zero emotional responsibilities. Some guys are not mature enough to be responsible, while others may be too young or too old to start a family life. A casual dating saves them from these stresses and helps them focus on one thing – loving their partner, even if that continues for a short time!