There are eight relationship zones we’ve all found, or will find, ourselves in at some stage in college, and here they are:
1. The Friend Zone
The one we all know too well. You have a great time hanging out with them but you kind of want something more. It pisses you off when you see them hook up with someone else and you realise it’s never going to happen. When this person somehow realises your feelings, and doesn’t reciprocate them, they begin dropping awkward hints that they’re just not that into you. Your friends slag you about it and tell you to let it go, or you’ll ruin your friendship. There’s a reason why you guys haven’t hooked up yet even though you’ve known each other forever. If you figure there was a time it could have happened but didn’t, it’s probably not meant to be. It’s hard, but you can move on much quicker than the next zone.
2. The Best-Friend Zone
Possibly one of the hardest zones to overcome. You’ve been best friends for ages but lately you’ve started to realize you actually like-like them. Everyone makes jokes about you two hooking up, but when he starts laughing a little too much and casually walks away, you know there’s a slim chance of it happening. You’ve been best-friend zoned. You wonder what it’d be like to go out with them but you’re too scared to try initiate it. Two scenarios can happen here, they either feel the same way and you get into a relationship and before you know it you’ve married your best friend (rare but it could happen). The other situation, the least desired but most probable, is that you confess your undying love for them and they don’t feel the same way. You eventually get over it and move on. The next thing you know, they come knocking at your door six months later saying they actually do feel the same way. By this point, you’ve probably moved long on and you’re wondering why he couldn’t have come to this conclusion ages ago. Typical.
3. The Family-Friends Zone
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You’ve been family friends for years and it’d just be too weird to hook up, but that doesn’t stop you thinking about it. You have to see them on every single special occasion and it breaks your heart when he says you’re like his sister. Although your parents joke about you guys getting married, you wonder how well they’d take it if you did get together and then ended up breaking up. They would probably be more devastated than you.
4. The Ex Zone
You had a bad breakup and hated each other after it. But this passion, good or bad, doesn’t just completely disappear, there’s a brief period when you start to casually hook up again. It feels like you’re doing something you shouldn’t, and the rules are quite hard to establish. Can you get with other people too? Are you allowed text them when you need help? Is it weird if you start liking their Facebook photos again? Or is he just an ex with benefits? It’s practically a warzone of emotions and many messy drunken nights out spent crying over them. Not advised for the feint-hearted, if you’re currently in this zone, tread carefully. There’s a reason why you broke up in the first place.
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5. The Friends-With-Benefits Zone
Definitely better than the ex-with-benefits zone. This arrangement works as long as you do not develop feelings, which is naturally always a risk. You’re single, but still have the benefits of a relationship. It’s ideal if you find someone you’re attracted to but aren’t really in the mood for a serious relationship. However, if you do start to develop feelings, you should be careful not to completely blindside the other participant by it.
6. The Social Media Zone
You know them vaguely, maybe met them in Irish college or got with them on a night out and talked for a week before it fizzled out. However, you notice they start liking all your profilers and photos on Facebook and Instagram. It becomes weird when you know they see every aspect of your life yet won’t even strike up a conversation with you in person. This one’s probably never going to translate to real life. Not that you’re very upset by that realization.
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7. The We-Almost-Dated Zone
This one is awkward and tricky. You scored them on a few nights out, were talking to them for a bit on Facebook and started to really like them. However, you don’t really see them for a while and it kind of fizzles out. The difference is, every time you see them both of you kind of wonder what it would’ve been like if you kept it going. It takes a while to get over those nervous encounters and awkward eye contact. Eventually you’ll either go back to being strangers or friends, whichever you were before this whole thing started.
8. The Newly-Single Zone
Being newly-single is like a being a new-born vampire, you can’t control your urges and end going on a bit of a rampage scouting out prey. You don’t really care what anyone thinks, you need to make up all those single years you missed when you were in that relationship. And no one can judge you for that. Eventually you’ll wind down a bit, maybe get over your ex and come to realise how great singularity is after all.
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Video: How To Get Out Of The Friend Zone
Credit: BuzzFeedVideo
