The Floozy guide to playing the field without being a dick.

We get it. Sometimes, all you need is to date around. Whether you’ve come out of a relationship and want to get yourself back out there, or just want to have some fun, ‘playing the field’ can be a fun choice. But how do you stop it crossing the line from a bit of fun to disrespectful?

Communicate Your Intentions

Not looking for anything serious? There’s no shame in that! But make sure that the people you are dating know this from the get go. This ensures that they are fully aware of your feelings and have the opportunity to back out if they are looking for something more serious.

Clear communication is really important in all relationships, whether serious or casual. It keeps everyone on the same page and means that nobody ends up heartbroken (hopefully!)

Safe Sex

Safe sex is always really important, but if you’re sleeping with multiple people it matters even more. Nobody wants to find out that they have STI and have given it to one person, let alone multiple.

So make sure you ALWAYS use contraception. If you have had unprotected sex with any of your partners, you might want to let anybody else know that so you can all be safe.

STI testing kits are also your best friend. Test yourself regularly to avoid having a dormant STI for months at a time. If you are from the UK , you can order free STI testing kits here.

Read about what to do if you have STI here.

Look After Yourself

As much as it can be fun, it can also be really exhausting playing the field. Chatting to multiple people, going on dates, or just trying your best not to mix up their names can be tiring and take an emotional toll.

If you feel yourself getting tired, burnout, or feeling that dating around is starting to put your mental health at risk, take a much-needed break!

Pause your Tinder account, say goodbye to your sneaky links and prioritise yourself. If you don’t look after yourself, you might end up taking out your frustrations on the people you are dating, which is never a healthy thing to do.

Edited by Audrey Chow