If youre dating when youre not ready for a relationship, have an end goal that doesnt compromise you or the people youre seeing. You can date without being ready for a relationship so long as you know that eventually you do want to be in one. Empty dating is simple, stupid, and extremely damaging. Dont do it.

What is the difference between dating and being in a relationship?

The main difference between dating and being in a relationship is that people in a relationship are connected by a mutual commitment to each other. You and the person youre with have agreed, either officially or unofficially, that youre seeing each other exclusively and are in a partnership together.

Is it OK to just casually date?

You can casually date just one person at a time if thats all you feel like you can handle, but one of the perks of this whole thing is that youre not tied to conventional relationship standards, says psychotherapist Tina B. Tessina, Ph. “Its okay to casually date more than one person,” she says.