Casual To Complicated: The All New Hookup Culture
College Drafting Emotions!
College pops up plenty of expectations in teenagers’ hearts and minds. Except for scoring good grades, college students are often found chasing one other thing and that is the ultimate experience of College Dating!Initially, college dating was all about love, merriment and a romantic alliance. But, in recent years a new culture has started capturing everyone's curiosity and attention i.e. Hookup Culture!
Table of Contents:
What Is Hookup Culture?
It is more of an umbrella term for having sexual relations with someone in a casual setting without any sort of deep emotional connection. The hookup can include sexual intercourse, hand stimulation of genitals, making out to a great extent and so on. This hookup culture is hovering all over the college campuses. The teenagers who have just stepped in their college lives also get trapped in such a culture. In spite of looking for something deep, emotional and concrete the college dating has shifted to more superficial, fabricated and physical alliance. Also, according to the American Psychological Association 60%-80% students have encountered hookups while dating in college.
This is flabbergasting, isn't it?
But as we say all the glitters is not gold so there’s another data from the American Psychological Association which is quite intimidating.
It states that 82.6% of the people engaged in hookup culture finds it quite pessimistic and harmful for their mental and emotional health.
The Psychology Of Hooking Up:-
It has been clinically proven that most of the college students who engage in this new hooking trend of college dating are often suffering from anxiety or depression. They might engage in such hookups assuming that it will fill up the hollowness of their hearts. However, it's not the scenario in most of the cases. Usually, students regret their impulsive decision of just landing up into some sort of sexual intimacy. On the other hand there's another major reason which pressurizes college students to land into such toxic trends. The reason is none other than the ‘peer pressure’.
There are majorly two categories of people who fall prey to such categories. Firstly, the students who have been “lonely and traumatized” for the most of their lives. The ones who are socially and personally deprived of great company. The college students who are more silent and introverts in the social settings are usually prone to such uncommitted sex. Their lack of love becomes a push factor for them to settle down for any casual relationship. On top of that, most of the time the other person is just looking for casual intercourse to fulfill their physical needs.
Physical Complications:-
The negative effects of Hookups aren't limited to psychological and emotional exploitation but it leads to serious health complications as well. And the worst part is that most of the college students aren't even aware of those health outcomes. A lot of students aren't even aware of terms like ‘unprotected sex’ or ‘STI’(sexually transmitted infections). This exclusive version of college dating makes students allow strangers to unravel the mysteries of their bodies. This also analyzes how this can have major psychological as well as physical problems. As in most of the sex, alcohol acts as a vehicle, and thus hookup becomes spontaneous. This can also lead to a desire for frequent unprotected sex which leads to teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and so on.
Social Consequences:-
In addition to psychological and physical outcomes of Hookups. It's time to discuss some of the worth addressing social outcomes of the same. These outcomes can include mainly social isolation, feeling of embarrassment, low sense of self-esteem are quite prominent. The social isolation occurs because the students regret their decision and find it shameful to face the society. This condition, if prolonged , can also lead to social anxiety. The isolation is sometimes also from the social media platforms. Students often feel that they are not pretty enough or capable enough. Thus, nobody likes or desires them, causing low self-esteem and confidence.
The all new culture of college dating has actually evaporated all the love and innocence embedded within the college students. This culture is also proven to be toxic.
Masculine Perspective On Hooking Up:-
Masculine Perspective on Hooking up is equally important to that of a feminine perspective. However, a mass opinion states that males usually enjoy having uncommitted sex. They seek such opportunities and have the capability to get out of such engagements without any emotional intimacy. But, this is not a Universal Truth. Research has proven how in a lot of cases males also tend to have emotional baggage pushing them to delve into such types of college dating. Also, after having a hookup or Friends with benefits. They might also get emotionally attached with the person and tend to have a more committed relationship with the same. And in cases when this is not possible males also have to face a difficult time to move on and overcome the suffocating feelings.
So, it's absolutely wrong to treat all males as the product of patriarchy and emotionless.
Feminine Take On Hooking Up:-
Hooking Up requires the mutual consent of both the genders. Hence, feminine perspective can't be overlooked. Whether it's regarding engaging in such a culture or the regrets which one has after the hookup. In most of the cases females end up hooking up because of social pressure and impulsive desires. But, in very few cases females find this culture in college dating helpful. In most of the cases women hook up with people they barely know and they regret losing their virginity, the partner they chose, or even the idea of moving on also hits them so hard. Females are more likely to catch feelings for the boys they have booked up with as compared to the males. Their desire to turn that one night stand into a long term relationship is often contradicted by reality. All these overwhelming emotions cause physical, emotional and psychological injury in the females hearts and minds.
Who Falls Prey To Hooking Up?
There's nothing wrong with admiring a relationship and desiring to be in one. But, the actual problem lies when you forcefully and unwillingly try to be in one.
Then this becomes a major problem!
And in such cases, students who aren't able to fulfill the milestones of college dating fall prey to hookup culture. They find uncommitted sex as the solution to their societal obstacles. And these students end up regretting their decision. This has a deep psychological repercussion on college students as in the near future they might face anxiety, and trust issues and might also give up on finding love in their lives.
Dealing With Hookups!
Are you a college student who landed up in a hookup with someone you barely know? Don't worry and try out these points to stop regretting your decision!
- Separate Hookup From You:- As per the renowned psychologists if your hookup doesn't involve any physical damage such as STI or pregnancy. There's no need to contemplate continuously about it. You need to understand that we are humans and we often end up making several blunders in our life. Consider this one as one of those and stop thinking only negatively about it. Rather, you can make a stern decision to never let your emotions overpower you. If you're feeling that hookup is not your cup of tea just take a resolution of staying away from that.
- Assess your feelings:- There's a good possibility that students look at their hookups from the lens of society or patriarchy. This is absolutely wrong. You should assess your own emotions with a cool mind and think about what you genuinely feel about.
- Dealing with likeness:- If in case you like the person. Then you should be in a sober condition and then confess your emotions and wait for their reply as well. If the feelings are reciprocated that’s great but you should be prepared for the worst as well.
- Moving on:- For instance, you hookup doesn't reciprocates your feelings. It's not going to be the end of the world. Learn lessons, look forward and someday or the other someone genuine is surely praying and waiting for you!
- Know Your Expectations:- Before hooking up, a person should know their expectations. Whether you are looking for a random uncommitted temporal pleasure. Or, you are actually expecting a long-term, concrete relationship cemented with love and respect.
- Watch Insightful Movies And Series Based On Hooking Up:-
Never Have I Ever
Never Have I Ever is one of the most insightful series ever made on college dating. It reflects the journey of millions of college students well portrayed by the female protagonist Devi!
Kho Gaye Hum Kahan
Kho Gaye Hum Kahan is one of the finest Bollywood movies which deals extremely well with the issues of casual dating, social pressure, lack of acceptance, and moving on. The movie portrays a real image of college dating scenarios!
Nowadays, dating trends are evolving superfast from casual dating to friends with benefits keep yourself updated through our blogs!
Conclusion
Overall, like every other college dating culture the Hookup Culture also has its own merits and demerits. But, on a broader perspective Hookup Culture is not much recommended on the basis of social, psychological and emotional dynamics.
Are you also a college student and are struggling to cope with the all-new dating trends?
Worry not, to get a fair idea of all the latest college dating trends. Stay tuned and follow Idyll: The Perfect College Dating App!