RELATIONSHIPS
Making Things Public: The Art of Revealing New Relationships
Before the age of the internet, couples revealed new relationships by simply telling people that they were an item. If not, they’d show up together in public. Those two acts alone were enough of a confirmation for most.
When social media came along, couples’ methods of revealing new relationships drastically changed. The ability to modify one’s relationship status on their profile became a couple’s way of getting it out there.
Nowadays, relationships are mostly revealed through “launches.” And no, no rocket ships are necessary for this. In the context of dating, launches refer to breaking the news through a social media post.
What are these “launches?” How do you go about them? Do you even have to do them in the first place? Let’s discuss how all these work.
Why Do Launches Happen?
Some of us may think a social media post revealing a relationship isn’t a big deal. However, it’s not as shallow as others make it out to be.
Research says launching a new relationship helps couples feel more connected. Another study also notes that some consider taking relationships to social media as a milestone. Even a simple couple selfie can be enough to make some feel happy and validated.
Look at it this way: a post can be a symbol of commitment. Making things (digitally) public means you’re not afraid to show each other off in the presence of others.
How’s that for a declaration?
When launching new relationships, modern couples typically choose one out of two ways. How about we go into each one and see where they differ?
Soft Launch
The term may be unfamiliar to some, especially those who aren’t active on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. For those unaware, a “soft launch” refers to subtly revealing a relationship through a post — usually a photo or a video snippet.
For example, you and your new partner decide to drop hints about your relationship through a cryptic photo of you holding hands in a car. To make things even more interesting, you crop out your faces, adding intrigue.
You may wonder why some couples go through the trouble of maintaining subtlety. Soft launches seem like contradictions, yes?
There’s a valid reason behind this phenomenon: self-preservation. They want to keep their relationships (and partners) private while letting people know they’re off the market.
Soft launches also serve as a shield protecting you from possible relationship fallouts. Think of it this way: it’s less embarrassing to stop showing subtle hints rather than deleting all of your posts.
Hard Launch
Now that you know what a soft launch is, you may already have an idea about what hard launches are. If the former is subtle, the latter is bold. Forget cryptic photos — why not go all out and post your faces?
If soft launches are teasers, hard launches are full features. Think of them like commitment rings. What more confirmation could you ask for?
Hard launches may not seem like a big deal. It’s just as simple as posting a couple selfie, right? The truth is, not everyone dares to make such a declaration. What if the relationship doesn’t work out and it crumbles right before the prying eyes of thousands of other people?
If you feel confident enough in your new relationships, why not make things official online? Even if you and your partner don’t last in the long run, at least you don’t regret your time together.
Relationship launches aren’t requirements. If you’re going to do it, make sure you’re making this public because you both want to. Don’t cave into peer pressure if you feel uncomfortable. After all, it’s your relationship.
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