Dating Vs Hanging Out. How To Avoid Confusion

Looking for a partner can be difficult if you don’t know how to interpret the signs. How do you know if they want a serious relationship with you or are just looking to hang out? Do you know the difference between dating vs hanging out? How do you show that you want a serious relationship without seeming desperate? In this article, we will give you some key signs to keep in mind.

If you are dating someone and you never defined what kind of relationship you would have, it can be awkward. Even, one of you may get hurt. That is why it is very important that you always clarify what you are looking for in that relationship and that you are clear about what the other person’s interests are. Remember that in the world of relationships, what may mean something to you may mean the opposite to the other person. Never take everything for granted.

Dating vs Hanging Out

A date is considered an intentional encounter, where both parties know that they are looking for a serious romantic relationship. Otherwise, it would just be hanging out with someone, with no long-term intentions, just to satisfy a need of the moment, whether physical or emotional.

Even if you have clarified your intentions from the beginning, it is important to be alert to the other person’s attitudes. Interpreting the signals is a key point. Knowing how to give them is important, too.

These are 3 attitudes you should have if you just want to hang out with someone:

1. Communication: Generally those who shy away from dating also shy away from very deep connections. If you just want to hang out with someone, don’t get into a serious relationship. For women, long talks indicate something very deep. It lets them know that you’re interested in her and that you’re opening your heart. If you just want to hang out, don’t give her false hope. Show her with your attitude that you are looking for something superficial.
2. Type of encounter: don’t invite her to social gatherings. Exposure brings with it formality. Being seen together in public places like a restaurant, movie theater or plaza can be interpreted as a serious relationship.
3. Intimacy: don’t seek to get to know her in-depth. Meeting her family or sharing activities will put the relationship on a more serious level.

Generally, online dating tends to be more confusing. Your profile must be so detailed that there is no room for doubt. There are sites for all tastes and interests.

You may decide to be single for a while, and this will also have benefits. Don’t assume that one is better than the other. The important thing is that you know what stage you are in.

When Hanging Out Becomes a Date

Many serious and long-lasting relationships began as something casual. Spending time with someone, no matter how occasional, involves feelings and connections.

You may have been clear from the beginning with your intentions, but as you spent time with the other person you discovered that you would like to try something for real.

The first step, as always, is to be honest. Remember that if you were in a casual relationship it is very likely that the other person will interpret your attitudes like that. As something to pass the time. If at some point your feelings change, express them.

If the feelings are reciprocal, the first step will be to build bonds of trust. Having had a passing relationship, you know each other in many superficial aspects and will have to get to know each other from another angle.

Ideally, they should stop having intimate encounters for a while. Let them “start from scratch” forgetting the intimacy they may have had up to that point. Remember that their relationship started backward from what most people do.

Ask her out on a first date, tell her about yourself and seek to know her more. Here are some tips for a serious first date:

• Take the initiative. Choose a nice and romantic place for this first formal meeting. A place to eat will be a good choice.
• Show her that you have her as a priority. Be punctual, don’t be late, and be interested in knowing her more.
• Let them get to know you. This is the ideal time to show them who you are. Tell her about your dreams, your aspirations, etc. 

Don’t Play With the Other Person’s Feelings

It can also happen the other way around. You are in a serious relationship with someone and decide you don’t want to commit. It is preferable that you are sincere and start hanging out with someone else. Playing with feelings and giving false hope is an act of cowardice.

How To Know What They Want With You

So far we have mentioned how you should act if you want to date or go out with someone. But knowing the difference between a date and hanging out will also help you know what they are looking for in a relationship. This will prevent you from getting too involved with someone who is not looking for something serious.

If your girl acts this way, chances are she’s just hanging out with you:

• Avoid being with, you with other people. She prefers his encounters to be in private, preferably at night.
• Do not upload photos with you on social networks. The fewer people who know about this relationship, the better.
• She contacts you from time to time and the one who has the initiative is usually her.
• She has no limits in physical terms. From the first encounter, she looks for more than just a kiss.
• Her tastes and interests are the priority. It is she who chooses where they will go out, what they will eat and drink. She is not interested in knowing what your wishes are.

Identifying if she is looking for something serious is also important. Pay attention to these attitudes: 

• She wants the encounters to be special. Seeks to go to a cinema, a square, etc.
• She introduces you to her friends or family.
• She talks to you about her future projects, both personal and in a relationship.
• She cares about you and is attentive to your needs.

Make the Difference Between a Date and Hanging Out

Everything will depend on what you are looking for in a relationship and at what stage of your life you are. Generally, those who have just gotten out of a serious relationship avoid dating. They are afraid of getting into something serious quickly and opt for hanging out

This attitude has pros and cons. The positive side is that perhaps, you are not emotionally ready to meet someone else and getting involved in something serious could hurt you. The downside is that if you haven’t let time pass after the breakup, you may use quick or casual encounters as a defense mechanism against accepting reality.

The important thing is that you reflect on where you stand and what you can gain and what you will lose.

In some ways, hanging out with someone has the benefits of dating without the obligations, which include:

• Having to pay for an outing
• Be aware of the other person
• Have the freedom to meet someone else

If you’ve been in the habit of being a commitment-averse man, making the leap into formality may have some difficulties.  The important thing is that you start by asking yourself a couple of questions: Do I want to share my life, in the long term, with someone? Am I willing to worry about someone else? If the answer is yes, you know the difference between a date and hanging out, and can start a serious relationship

If in your circle of friends you had a reputation of being a person without commitments, the ideal is that you look for a partner elsewhere. That way, no one will be prejudiced against you. The important thing to understand is that, if you want to date seriously, hang out relationships should be left behind. Having a double life will be as bad for you as it is for the other person.

How to Start Dating or Hanging out? 

If you’ve never hung out with someone before and want to get started, these two tips will help:

• Relax and let it “flow”. One of the characteristics of this type of relationship is that they do not happen with prior planning. Don’t look for the perfect moment or the perfect person. Let your instincts guide you.
• Avoid looking desperate. Sometimes it can appear that women have a kind of built-in “radar” to detect it. For this reason, avoid sending him a message quickly to arrange a second meeting. Let the initiative emerge from it.

Having a formal date can also cause insecurity for those who have never had one, so keep the following in mind:

• Make sure of the other person’s intentions
• Choose a neutral place for the first meeting. Never take her to your home or choose a place that is too private. Dating has the connotation of being a meeting between people who are looking for a serious love relationship. If you go too fast you may cause rejection. Dinner at a restaurant will almost always be a good option.
• Keep the conversation flowing. Don’t go to the extremes of: keeping quiet and letting the other person say everything or talking so much that you seem verbose. Stay away from topics of conflict such as politics or religion.

Now that you know the difference between a date and hanging out, you have the tools you need to enjoy relationships in a healthier way. Go for it!