In 2025, love wore many faces. From digital detoxes to emotional experiments, this year’s dating culture was shaped by introspection, experimentation, and a growing awareness of emotional boundaries. Young singles contested old beliefs and embraced new ones as they navigated an increasingly complex world of intimacy, commitment, and self-identity in this hyperconnected age.What came through most clearly was a collective re-evaluation of how we connect, whether that’s deciding who to swipe right on, what to reveal on a first date, or how to break up without breaking oneself. Below are some of the defining dating trends that dominated conversations in 2025.Date Them Till You Hate ThemOne of the most talked-about social media phenomena this year was the resurfacing of the ‘date them till you hate them’ approach, a breakup strategy gaining renewed attention on TikTok and beyond. This trend encourages people to prolong relationships, emotionally checking out while letting resentment grow until love turns into indifference. Originating from a viral video by TikToker Meg Neil, where she said, “I dated him till I hated him,” this tactic has sparked debate about avoidance, emotional withdrawal, and the consequences of postponing honest conversations. Jai Arora, a counselling psychologist, explained that such avoidance often stems from the fear of confrontation, fear of hurt, and sometimes fear of being alone. Over time, this pattern can wear people down emotionally and affect how they interact in future relationships. Zip CodingZip-coding is the practice of prioritising potential partners based on geographical closeness rather than just digital compatibility. Many daters, especially those fatigued by long-distance complications, found zip-coding a valuable way to keep dating simple and sustainable, allowing relationships to grow more organically in real life. Story continues below this adPsychologist Rasshi Gurnani said, “Geographical proximity often enhances emotional intimacy because it allows for shared routines, spontaneous interactions, and a sense of safety derived from familiarity.”This movement towards proximity reflects a broader shift: in a world where so many connections begin online, physical accessibility and the possibility of face-to-face interaction emerged as valued currency in romance.MankeepingOne of the more socially resonant trends this year was ‘mankeeping,’ a term capturing the frustration many women feel when shouldering the bulk of emotional labour in relationships. In mankeeping, a woman often ends up compensating for a partner’s lack of social connection, emotional effort, and accountability. Contra-dating offered a more intentional path forward. (Source: Freepik)Therapists noted that this imbalance creates an unequal emotional economy where one partner becomes an emotional manager and the other a passive participant, slowly chipping away at intimacy. Story continues below this adFloodlightingAnother viral conversation this year centred on ‘floodlighting’, a dating trend where a person shares deeply personal or emotional information too early, especially on a first date. While the intent might sometimes be a genuine search for connection, its effect can overwhelm or distance the other person. The term, linked to the concept of trauma dumping, highlights a dating behaviour where vulnerability is used as a way to test emotional receptivity or accelerate intimacy too soon. Rima Bhandekar, a senior psychologist, pointed out that while vulnerability is important, timing and mutual readiness matter; oversharing without reciprocity can impose emotional pressure that a budding relationship is not ready to handle. Contra-DatingNot all trends were about pitfalls. Contra-dating offered a more intentional path forward. Defined as dating outside one’s usual ‘type,’ contra-dating invited singles to expand their horizons by altering profiles or real-life dating choices to connect with people they wouldn’t normally consider. Story continues below this adCounselling psychologist Athul Raj mentioned that this isn’t about abandoning preferences entirely, but asking whether entrenched patterns are aligned with what truly brings safety, calm, and meaning — not just what keeps someone chasing familiar traits. For many, contra-dating symbolised emotional growth, a chance to break repetitive loops and discover parts of themselves and others that might otherwise have been overlooked.