The "Let's Just Be Friends" Script: Ditching Breadcrumbing and Ghosting Because it's 2019
Updated: Jan 12, 2019
No, we're not celebrating Halloween early. We've been haunted by the ghosting habits of our fellow millennials for too long, and now an even newer strategy of "breadcrumbing" has changed the game. Well - not anymore my friends. Meet the "friends" script.
I've used it twice now - it's been floating around my friend group and has been used probably a total of 6 times successfully (not that there were any unsuccessful attempts!)
The Friendship Script - far less debilitating and #wasteyotime2018 than any other new-age tactics of leading people on (or leaving them hanging), like breadcrumbing or ghosting.
The funniest thing is, the responses are almost always SO similar! People are so predictable. There's a human psychology behind dating. The beauty behind this little experiment here is that almost always, the other party appreciates being told the straight up truth.
IT'S SO SIMPLE PEOPLE!
So, here's the script for those who want a simple copy-and-paste the next time ghosting or breadcrumbing sounds tempting:
"I have to be completely honest with you because I value honesty and you’re such a nice [guy/girl]. I had so much fun hanging out but I just don’t know if I see it going anywhere past friends. I would love to be cool and still hang out, but I completely understand if you don’t want to."
There's no requirement for you to follow up on the friends part, and in my experience, the guys haven't wanted to be friends and let things drop off after that. Maybe one Snapchat here or there, but nothing creepy. And, though it may seem like it's too tough to hurt their feelings, trust me, it's a win-win this way.
So next time you're just not feeling it with Mr. Hinge after your first dive bar date, or even an old fling you've been slinging around for a while, try out The Friendship Script. In the end, it's "new year, new me," right?
*Yes, real conversations have been used. No, names will not be revealed. Come on, I'm not THAT savage...*