Casual hookup culture is on the rise and there are many solid reasons behind it. It allows you to explore. Whether you want to discover things about yourself or you are questioning your sexuality, hookup culture could be the way to go. It allows you to learn different things about yourself and allows you to have different partners. However, you must follow certain safety tips because of the many risks/dangers involved.
Following are some safety tips to remember under the rising hookup culture:
- Stay Anonymous Until You Are Comfortable with That Person
It’s easy nowadays to find a partner for a hookup or casual relationship thanks to online dating and hookup sites. However, you must proceed with caution. Don’t swap phone numbers or email addresses until you are ready. Do not give your personal or work email address. It is recommended that you stay anonymous until you are comfortable with a person on a hookup site.
- Get to Know the Person
Online dating sites are equipped with various communication systems that allow you to effectively communicate and interact with persons of interests. Take advantage of real-time chat or messaging to get to know the person you are interested to hook up with. Ask a lot of questions. You can also use the video chat feature to talk and see the person. From that, you can determine whether you like the look of him/her, like his/her mannerisms and body language. If both of you get along, then decide whether it’s time to set up the meet.
- Meet on Neutral Ground
It is recommended that you arrange to meet on neutral ground (somewhere in the middle for both of you). You can always back out if the date starts getting weird. On the other hand, if the date is going well, decide whether you want to invite him/her over for a nightcap.
- People Places
It is recommended that you meet someplace where there are lots of people e.g. a bustling restaurant, a mall, etc. While it’s true that most people are just out for some fun but you should save the more secluded experiences (road trips, long hikes in the woods, etc.) for later on, once you have both gotten to know each other a little and came to the conclusion that you want to something more than just a hookup.
- Use Protection
Using protection is the most important part about any hookup experience. If you don’t use protection, this decision could impact your future in unexpected ways. Most people want to avoid getting pregnant from a casual hookup or relationship, which is a good thing. But, you should use protection in order to stay safe from the sexually transmitted diseases, even if you think that you are both clean.
- Keep Your Feelings in Check
Even when it comes to casual hookups and no strings attached relationships, there should be mutual respect between partners. No matter whether it is just NSA fun, proper communication is the key to having a good time. It’s not uncommon for someone to become emotionally attached to a sexual partner. And unrequited love is rarely ever satisfying. So, you should keep your feelings in check and if you ever find yourself in such situation, it’s best to move on.
