BY: Lindsay Mestelaar
We made it to July 4th! The summer is peaking and it’s the perfect time to reflect on our dating situations. Are you in a relationship that you want to step away from? Is your potential new partner showing signs of stepping away from you?
Summer shading is the trend where when it gets sunny and nice out, relationships get placed on the back burner, or, “in the shade.” If you’re looking for some signs that this could be occurring in your life, here are four telltale signs.
Texting Less Often
You know your texting cadence with a person. We all have great intuition. If you can tell that the person you’re dating has become a worse communicator, it’s the biggest sign that they’re trying to leave you in the shade for the summer. If you don’t hear from them for more than 24 hours, it’s safe to assume they’re dating other people. If they’re not dating other people, they just simply don’t want to give you the wrong impression now that the summer has arrived.
Hiding You From Their Social Media
It’s not a dealbreaker if someone doesn’t post you on their social media, especially if you’re not “official.” However, if there’s an intentional avoidance of even including you on their Stories or reposting something you’ve shared, it’s another sign that they want to signal to their social circle that they’re available. If they aren’t interacting with your posts and only DM you but don’t publicly like your stuff, that’s another sign that they’re looking to make sure your situationship doesn’t become worse.
Traveling a Ton But Never Including You
Many of us take vacation trips in the summer, but there are quick weekend getaways where it’s easy to include someone if you like them and are enjoying your time together. If the person you’re seeing seems to be away every other weekend or never once invites you over to the share house they’re renting, that’s a major red flag that they intend to summer shade.
Preoccupied When You’re Together
So maybe you’re seeing this person less, but when you do see them, they also aren’t giving you the time of day. It seems like they’re more excited to see the waiter or to look over your shoulder to see who they’re going to run into. If this is the behavior you’re experiencing, it’s clear that this person wants to put you in the shade and pick you back up when it starts getting colder outside.
If you’re noticing any of these behaviors, the best thing you can do is get ahead of it. Why should you be left in the shade with nothing to say for yourself? If you sense this is going on, make sure you have your eggs in multiple baskets so that you don’t leave yourself vulnerable to having your heart broken by a summer shader. Matching their energy is key. And you deserve someone who wants you in all seasons equally!
For more, you can follow @wemetatacme on Instagram or listen to “We Met at Acme” wherever you listen to podcasts. Happy Fourth, everyone!
