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Is it just us, or is finding happiness in love harder than ever? From dating app disasters to walking red flags to ghosts who disappear on you, the modern world makes love feel like a bit of a pipe dream. And it seems that things only get more complicated once you're actually in a relationship.
Naturally, TikTok has more than a few ideas. The app is filled to the brim with trendign relationship tests that promise to clarify things in the love department. Worried your partner is inattentive? Uninterested? Disloyal? These tests promise to give you the answers in just a few seconds!
If this seems too good to be true, it's because it probably is. We have to take these tests with a certain grain of salt. It's unlikely something as complex as a long-term relationship can be “solved” in a 15 second viral video. And putting your partner to the test by secretly filming them and trying to catch them out probably says more about your red flags than theirs.
Nevertheless, there is usually a kernel of truth in some of these trends — something we can take away and use to look at our relationships in a new light. So, without further ado, let's take a look at some of TikTok's top relationships tests and find out: could they really solve your relationship woes?
“Just as there has been a rise in popularity of womanosphere influencers, we have seen counter-influencers gain visibility for debunking and challenging their claims."
One of the newest relationship tests to hit the platform is the “bird theory test.” This one's pretty simple: it basically consists of telling your partner you saw a bird today. If they react with annoyance or disinterest, it's meant to signal they are uninterested in the relationship as a whole. If they ask follow-up questions and engage with you, green flag.
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In the “how my ex had me looking” trend, women share images of themselves during old relationships followed by photos of themselves post-relationship. The idea is, the post-breakup glow-up indicates just how unhappy the women were in their old relationships.
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As one commenter put it, “I love how in every single one of these the before picture just looks like a tired mom, because these men literally turn you into their new mommy."
The “princess treatment” trend is meant to explore the difference between the ‘princess treatment’ — ie. giving a partner extra special treatment – and the ‘bare minimum’ – giving a partner the minimum. Most TikTok videos feature women show off how their partners' versions of ‘bare minimum’ include things others might consider ‘princess treatment.’
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As one TikToker captioned their video, “He should have known bare minimum is the only answer.”
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In this trend, one partner asks another person to start messaging their partner to “test” their loyalty. If they shut them down, they pass. Sure, it's one way to check that partner is “loyal” – but it doesn't exactly smack of trust or openness, does it?
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A report by The Fuller Project finds that misinformation about the pill's side effects on social media is leading to rising distrust amongst UK women.
The orange peel theory test sees women asking their partners to peel an orange for them. As TikTok user @annabhamm explains in a video, “The orange peel theory basically describes when your partner does an act of service for you that's something that you are perfectly capable of doing on your own. And this is for really small stuff, like, for example, peeling an orange.”
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In the “current boyfriend" test, women refer to their partners as they “current boyfriends” – and wait to see their reactions. The idea is, a “good” boyfriend would be annoyed to be referred to as temporary. This seems a little mean, you may be thinking. You wouldn't be wrong.
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“I think because of the way I dress, everyone thinks that I'm dark and spooky all the time."
While each of these trends may hold their own little grains of truth, it's probably best not to leave the status of your relationship up to a TikTok trend. My advice? If you find yourself resonating with any of these trends and worrying about how your partner would respond, try speaking to them about it. Because in most cases, communication and honesty will always win out over simply trying a trend.
