Before mobile phones became accessible to the masses, we planned dates in person or over a landline. Those days were simple. You like someone, you call them or you knock on their door and ask them out. Fast forward to 2017 and there are dozens of ways you can tell someone you like them: Emojis, a Snap Chat, a follow on Instagram or a few xx's and a smile at the end of a text.
But wait, it gets more complicated, because if you are on the receiving end of all those things, you still won't really know if the other person is just emoji-happy or if they really like you.
Here are three ways that texting complicates dating:
1. The xx's at the end of a text
An x is equal to a kiss in the online world, but it has a different meaning for everyone. Some reserve it for family and lovers, while some give them away as liberally as America hands out gun licenses. An x at the end of each text alone won't tell you whether or not a guy likes you... or could it?
2. Seeing your message as read yet you still haven't received a reply
Our smartphones have made us very trackable -- so much so that when we've messaged a guy or girl we can tell when they've read the message and when they didn't reply. Pretty awkward.
So what do you do if 'Message Seen' is followed by silence?
One of the reasons most guys prefer texting is that it's easier to be open but even easier to cut ties. In this situation there's an elephant in the room. He's seen your texts but hasn't replied. Give him some time to reply, perhaps he is busy. But if it's been days since you've text him, give him a little nudge.
What to Text: "Hey! Just checking to see if you got my message about [Insert something about your initial text here]. There's a really funny story to go with that message!".
Why this is perfect: You've given him a gentle reminder about the text you sent without being judgmental about his unresponsiveness. If it genuinely slipped his mind, you will hear back from him. If he has gone MIA and you don't hear back after this text, you'll know it's time to move on.
3.Knowing when to reply so you don't seem needy
Everybody wants to play it cool at the beginning of the relationship. We don't want to give it all away too soon and so when a text comes through we want to find that bliss point between being way too keen to reply and seeming disinterested and aloof. Like all things, timing of texts is really important, giving all singles another layer of complexity to deal with.
When it comes down to it, texting is a whole other communication platform. The way you communicate on text should be different from how you communicate over the phone or in person (this is the reason why you can get along with someone so well over text but have zero chemistry in person).
________________________
If you want to learn how to master texting so you no longer find it stressful to come up with a flirty and cheeky reply, check out my NEW Ultimate Guide to Texting Ebook.