By Guest Blog | October 15, 2024
Texting is your front line in the battle of dating. It’s your first impression, your charm, and sometimes your ticket to the next level—or the dreaded friend zone. Yeah, it’s that serious. But just because you can type doesn’t mean you’ve got it. There’s an art to this texting thing, and mastering it can turn a casual convo into something way more.
Keep It Balanced: Don’t Overwhelm or Go Silent
You don’t want to step on your partner’s toes, but you also don’t want to leave them hanging. Whether you met on a nasty hookup site, flooding someone’s phone like it’s your personal Twitter feed? Nah, that screams “desperate.” And ghosting for days? That’s a fast track to the “who dis?” category. Find your rhythm. Text enough to keep the vibe going but not so much that they’re eye-rolling every time your name pops up.
Timing Is Everything: Know When to Text
Nobody wants to wake up to a midnight monologue about your latest binge. And sending a string of texts during work hours? Might as well slap a “read later” sticker on that. Timing your texts right is like catching the perfect wave. Hit it at the right moment, and you’re good.
Be Clear and Direct: Avoid Misunderstandings
Texting isn’t like chatting in person, where you can throw in a wink or flash that sly smile to smooth things over. It’s just words on a screen, and sometimes, those words get lost in translation. You could mean one thing, and your date might read it as something totally different. Boom. Toodles.
Don’t mess around with vague shit. Be clear and direct. When you’re making plans, nail down the details. Don’t just say, “Wanna hang out sometime?” Sometime is like, when? Next year? Be specific: “Let’s grab a drink Friday evening, what do you say?”
Use punctuation. Periods to end a thought. Question marks for when you’re asking something. And yeah, throw in some emojis if you want to set the tone. Smiley face, winky face. Just make sure what you’re saying is clear.
Don’t Play Games: Be Honest and Upfront
We’ve all heard that tired advice about playing hard to get. You know, sending short, mysterious texts or waiting hours (or days) to reply to keep them “interested.” Yeah, let’s trash that idea right now. It’s a dating landmine, and stepping on it is like a fast pass to nowhere.
Mind games might seem like a good strategy. But they’re more likely to blow up in your face than make someone fall head over heels. Instead, aim for a healthy compromise—be upfront and honest, but don’t feel pressured to lay everything out there all at once. If you like them, say it. If you’re not feeling it, say that too. Politely, of course. Be straightforward about your intentions. You’re building a foundation. You want that foundation to be rock-solid, not some wobbly mess built on mind games and miscommunication.
Know When to Move the Conversation Off Text
Texting is fun, no doubt. But, come on, how long are you gonna stay in the online cage? At some point, you gotta level up. If all you’re doing is texting, you’re not building a real connection. You’re just skimming the surface, keeping it safe behind the screen.
So, when do you make the move? If the chat’s flowing and there’s a vibe, suggest a call. If that goes well, lock in a date. Don’t let the convo get stuck in a rut of endless texts. Real talk happens in person, where you can see their face, hear their laugh, and maybe even steal a kiss. You can’t do that over a text.
Pay Attention to Response Time: It Sends a Message
Ever sent a text and got left on read for hours? Yeah, that’s a mood killer. But response time says a lot without saying anything at all. Fast replies usually mean they’re into you. Slow replies? Could mean they’re busy, but it might also mean they’re just not that into you.
Don’t freak out, though. Look at the pattern. If they’re consistently slow, take a hint. But if they’re quick most of the time and then suddenly slow down, something might be up. Maybe it’s time to address it—or maybe it’s time to move on. Just don’t sit there staring at your phone, waiting for that three-dot bubble like it’s gonna change your life.
Use Humor Wisely: It’s a Double-Edged Sword
We all love a good laugh, right? But texting humor is risky. Sarcasm can land flat. Jokes can be misread, and memes? They can be a hit or miss. If you’re funny, great! Just make sure your humor translates through the text.
Start with light stuff. Maybe a silly GIF or a tease. But don’t go all in with dark humor or heavy sarcasm unless you know they’re into that. And for the love of the whole Middle-earth, avoid anything that could be taken the wrong way. The last thing you want is to turn a flirty chat into an awkward silence.
Be Yourself: Authenticity Wins Every Time
This one’s a no-brainer, but still worth saying. Be yourself. It’s easy to craft a perfect persona over text, but eventually, the real you has to show up. If you’re genuine from the get-go, you’re setting the stage for something real.
Drop the act. Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not just to impress them. If they like you for you, great! If not, their loss. Authenticity is way more attractive than trying to keep up a fake image.
Conclusion
Texting while dating isn’t rocket science, but it does require some finesse. So follow these rules and don’t overthink it. The goal is simple: turn those texts into dates, And at the end of the day, it’s not about playing games. It’s about finding someone who’s on the same wave as you.
