Recently I've heard some young women talking (university age - approx 20) about relationships or not having "relationships" and it's got me thinking. So the examples -
- I met her when she was renting a room so she could stay somewhere for her summer internship. She invited a fellow student to share the room with her (which was fine), helping him out as his internship was also nearby. People presumed he was her boyfriend but she said they weren't in a relationship. It just seemed to me like more than FWB as they discussed evening plans etc with each other and were sharing a room for 6 weeks.
- Overheard two students on the bus (I was being nosy, but they were talking v loudly!). One was talking about being exclusive with someone and her friend asked if she was worried about him cheating when they were apart over the summer etc. She said she trusted him but also went on to say how it was easier to tell her parents that she was in a relationship with the person, even though she wasn't, as they wouldn't 'get' the situation. Again, to me, it felt more than a fuckbuddy/fwb situation - she discussed visiting his family home etc.
Do I sound really pearl clutching/judgmental? I have had fwb relationships in the past but to me these examples sounded different. Do people of that age just want things to be more casual than older people? Or is it happening more and more across all ages? Or are women just trying to fit in with what men want?