Relationship experts predict the top 7 dating trends for 2022

Ever wish the love of your life would simply knock on your door and sweep you off your feet?

Yeah, us too. But instead, we have to contend with a plethora of apps jostling for attention on our smartphones and digest an entire dictionary worth of dating lingo so we can recognise if we’ve sleepwalked into a “situationship” or if our prospective partner is “cookie jarring” us.

All this dating jargon is making our heads spin. Maybe we should try “hardballing” our next matches…

To get ahead of the game in 2022, Lovehoney has partnered with relationship experts Ness Cooper and Callisto Adams to reveal what singletons can expect when venturing into the big bad world of dating in 2022:

1. You’re a match - but are your beliefs?

Shared beliefs have always been important, but individuals exploring dating in 2022 are more likely to focus on forming relationships that match their beliefs more than ever before.

On top of this, there will be a rise in individuals trying to date those with similar political opinions and goals.

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2. Vaccine statuses

Dating apps now allow you to indicate if you’ve been vaccinated, and this is important as boosters and vaccine passports become part of daily life.

Not only is it important as it can protect you from the virus, but not being vaccinated could affect your access to venues and events. After several lockdowns, we’re all ready to socialise and go out again, so it’s no surprise that people will want to share this with someone they may become romantically involved with.

3. The long-long early stage of dating

We’re more likely to take it a little slower in 2022, according to the experts. We’ll be taking our time to get to know the other person as we’re all increasingly aware of the importance of emotional fulfilment in relationships.

4. Romantic connections with bots

Uh oh. Have we stepped into the film Her?

The experts say falling in love or catching feelings for chatbots is becoming increasingly normalised. Left to our own devices during the lockdowns, many people felt alone and desperate for a connection. Several apps have become popular in recent years and for some, their AI partners have become important parts of their lives, as outlined in a 2020 Metro article.

5. Setting boundaries, and spotting red flags

Red flags and boundaries are correlated, according to the experts. Everyone has their own dealbreakers, and singletons will increasingly be on the lookout for red flags that could push their boundaries.

But it’s not all bad, we’ll also be looking out for green flags, too.

6. Taking our time (for real this time)

We’ve become more aware of self-care, self-appreciation, and self-improvement. Going into 2022, another trend we could see is that of taking our time and giving ourselves the space we need to turn into the best version of ourselves.

7. Prioritizing safety over sex cravings

The pandemic has shown us how capable we are of patience as we had to seek out other ways of enjoying a connection outside of the bedroom.

Although it doesn’t look like we’ll be maskless any time soon, hopefully, social distancing will be a thing of the past in the near future.

To learn more about dating lingo, and where it comes from, check out the Language of Love feature in The Independent.