An all new dating trend is taking over the love scene which a expert claims is shocking millenials.
“Hardballing” is a new dating term which is popular with Generation Z – those born after 1995 – which apparently has older folks baffled after years of toxic dating rules.
Essentially, hardballing is when someone on the dating scene is very clear about their expectations from a relationship, but it’s not confined to those looking for long term monogamy.
Whether they’re looking for a casual friends-with-benefits situation or are aiming for marriage a “hardballer” makes it obvious what they’re after from the outset.
And, if their date doesn’t match those expectations then it’s a straight up goodbye…
Sexpert Jana Hocking examined the term in her podcast, Kinda Sorta Dating, and wrote about it on news.com.au where she talked about feeling out-of-the-loop.
(Image: Getty Images)
Jana, 36, said: “In the early 2000s when I was in high school and trying to figure out how to get a blokes’ attention I read with much enthusiasm a book called The Rules .
“It sold over 20 million copies and was lapped up by single broads.
“It’s just a bunch of rules on how to play hard to get. Games, glorious games.”
We’ve all come across something similar during our single years whether it was read in the pages of Cosmo or you heard it on a radio show.
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But, after all, rules like playing hard to get, waiting three days before calling or limiting how many kisses you text with are all ways to manipulate the dating game.
Jana added: “Old me thought this was a never-fail method of attracting a boyfriend.
“Jump forward a couple of years and I guess it’s really no surprise to find out I’m still single.
“Happily I can report that times have changed.”
And, it seems that the rules have shifted as Gen Z hardball their way into stable relationships.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
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But, how do you hardball successfully?
Well, matchmaker Susan Trombetti, CEO of Exclusive Matchmaking, told InStyle: “Hardballing isn’t an opportunity to speed date till you get the right answers.
“Date several people at once in the beginning so that you are confident that this person offers you what you are looking for.
“Have options; don’t just zero in one person and project your wants on them.”
Basically, be like the younger generation – be clear, gently explain that you’ve thought a lot about what you want and don’t zone in on them if they’re after something different.
If your date doesn’t want what you do then they probably weren’t your perfect match anyway.
