If you have scrolled through Tiktok for maybe a bit too long, I could bet you have seen something like “The 3 Month Rule” or a “talking stage.” Their whole purpose is to help those who are young and in love so that they can have the ideal, perfect relationship. Maybe these rules have helped some relationships, but they just make everything so much more difficult.
I believe when you are a teenager, or even a tween, the idea of being in love while young is supposed to be the times you reminisce on the most when you’re out of high school. It is the time to discover what you like or dislike in a romantic partner, but social media has created pressure for young couples to be perfect all of the time, which is super unrealistic. Why should a stranger’s opinion dictate the healthiness of a relationship? Wanting to fit in with people is natural, but having a good and healthy relationship with the people you care about means something different for everyone. Expecting one definition for a word that’s subjective to fit everyone is unreasonable.
All these rules and “stages” have made things so much more complicated when it comes to even having a small crush on someone. Loving someone should be easy; there doesn’t need to be added pressure. Not every relationship is perfect all the time, but everyone’s idea of perfection comes with a different definition. Social media has absolutely changed the way people perceive and give love. People who don’t scroll through a lot of social media have no idea what “micro-cheating” is, and I could bet they are much happier. Micro-cheating could easily be defined as the small things your partner could do in a relationship that could be seen as disrespectful. Personally, It’s not cheating, people have taken that word and called anything micro-cheating. No, being friends with more than two girls is not cheating, it’s called having friends. No, complaining about something your partner did or an annoyance is not cheating. All of those things are normal. It’s just a new trend that makes everything way more complicated than it should be. Social media can be such an amazing tool if it is used in the right ways, such as, building communities, learning about people across the world, and learning about the opposite opinion. It should not be used in a way that affects people and their relationships.
Relationships have changed so much over the years, and as you get older, the more serious or difficult they become. Since social media is such a huge part of our lives in this age, they shouldn’t be adding another level of difficulty to things people already run away from or can’t accept at times. No one should be listening to a bunch of random strangers because this person with a meaningless blue check says, “This is the new method!” or “If this happens, then this WILL happen!” It doesn’t make sense. Everyone is different and will have different aspects of their relationship that you may or may not agree with. No one should be telling anyone how they should love their partner or live their life because it will be “better” to fit in with what social media says is best.
In my final opinion, social media has definitely ruined the idea of “true love” for young people and has just created a new thing for teens to stress about when they already have plenty on their plates. People who do find someone they truly love wouldn’t listen to what others say anyway.
