Gen Z has rebranded going on dates with people they’re not attracted to as a wellness practice, and to be honest, the logic holds up better than it has any right to.The concept is pretty much what it sounds like. Some singles are deliberately saying yes to meetups with people they wouldn’t normally pursue, skipping the soulmate audition and just getting their reps in.Christina Psaras, 26, of Chicago, told the New York Post that app dating’s endless scroll of profiles makes it easy to put sky-high expectations on every first date, which is a recipe for constant disappointment. Going out with someone you’re only mildly interested in, she argues, is a corrective. “Going on a ‘practice date’ with someone who isn’t really your type helps you let go of unrealistic expectations for a date,” she said. “It lowers the bar, and you’re less likely to project fantasies onto the person.”She also admitted something many daters probably recognize but never say out loud. “The more I’m attracted to someone, the more I realize I start lying,” Psaras said—not big lies, she clarified, but the subtle self-editing that happens when you’re desperate to impress. Agreeing too quickly. Toning things down. Putting out a more palatable version of yourself before the appetizers arrive.Are Gen Z ‘Practice’ Daters Taking Advantage of Their Unattractive Dates?NYC dating creator Serena Kerrigan, 32, has been vocal about the trend and pushes back on the idea that it’s inherently exploitative. “I actually think the phrase ‘practice date’ gets a bad rap because it makes it sound like you’re using someone,” she told the Post. “Until you meet someone in real life, you have no idea whether you’re attracted to them. A photo can’t capture the way someone carries themselves or their ability to make you laugh until you snort.”Kerrigan, who has a book called “Let’s F–king Date” coming out, argues that low-pressure dates actually let people show up more like themselves. “When you’re ‘meh’ about someone, you stop performing. You stop editing yourself. You just exist as yourself,” she said. “That version of you, unbothered and unfiltered, is your most attractive self by a mile.”Clinical psychologist Dr. Debra Kissen, founder of Light On Anxiety Treatment Centers, said that the trend has actual psychological merit. “Dating is a social skill, and like any skill, confidence often grows through practice.” Her caveat: there’s a line between building skills and treating people like props. “It’s important not to treat other people as pawns in your own self-improvement journey.”Kissen also offered a read on why this is happening at all. “We’re living in an era marked by social isolation, disconnection, and loneliness,” she said. “The trend may be less about dating itself and more about a generation trying to regain a sense of social ease and connection.”It’s basically a generous way of saying that going on a date you’re not fully invested in is better than staying home and doomscrolling alone.The post Gen Z Is Dating People They’re Not Attracted to On Purpose. Psychologists Have Thoughts. appeared first on VICE.