I am a social guy, talking to people comes quite natural to me. Therefore I make friends easily. I have had a ton of crushes and was also in love for a couple of times. However I have never had any relationship to speak of (I’m 25, btw), and I feel like I’m missing out on something.

When it comes to relationships I honestly don’t know how people do it. I don’t know what makes someone “like” someone else, safe for their appearance. Or how someone “starts” to see another as a romantic partner rather than platonic. I feel like I only know how to serve friendship. So how do people develop feelings for someone?

  • Tang@lemmy.world
    81·
    5 days ago

    After reading your responses, I think you’re basically asking how to casually date friends, right? For casual dating/sex, stay away from friends. It can ruin the friendship or even the entire circle of friends. There’s always the “friends with benefits” thing, but even that often ends badly. For casual dating, stick with strangers. Aren’t there a ton of apps for that sort of thing?

    • Wahots@pawb.social
      41·
      4 days ago

      Oh man, I’d say just the opposite! Date your friends! You know them well, you become good friends before you ever even start dating, which is great for pacing, and you both probably share a lot in common.

      There’s nothing quite like holding hands with your best friend, or quietly reading together. Or going skiing together ❤️

      It’s how long term relationships have formed for a handful of my buddies. And it’s also how I met my spouse :)

      While not everything works out, having a rock solid friendship can lead to an extremely strong relationship.

      • BlueÆther@no.lastname.nz
        41·
        4 days ago

        My wife and I meet as a friend group some 5 years before we went out - that was almost 35 years ago… shit time flies

      • SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world
        12·
        4 days ago

        Nah this isn’t France, romance kills friendships.

        Either they feel the same way or your friendship is ruined forever

        • Wahots@pawb.social
          2·
          4 days ago

          Perhaps it’s different where I live, but when one of my friends asked me out, I just told him that I unfortunately wasn’t interested in him, but I still wanted to be friends. We stayed close friends, and I actually introduced him to one of my other friends. They hit it off and are still together seven(ish) years later :)

          They live in a different state right now, but we still have yearly get-togethers. I miss them and hope they can move here soon :)