Roses are red, but flags can be too – The Depaulia

The red flag emoji made waves throughout social media in the fall of 2021. People jumped on the trend to hilariously share with the world their biggest deal breakers during social interactions. For example, tweets like I like pineapple on my pizza or text slow but always on social media were followed with a slew of red flag emojis.

Valentines Day is upon us and its time we revisit these sometimes silly, but often crucial little flags hinting at a potential character flaw. Whether youre celebrating the holiday with a partner or dwelling on your perpetually single livelihood, our dating lives could all benefit by knowing what to look out for.

Being safe online

The current dating environment exists almost exclusively online and on apps. Its easier and greatly expands our selection. Leah Sefor is known as South Africas go-to life and relationships expert. According to her bio she has worked with individuals, couples and organizations in over 10 countries for more than 26 years as a life, relationships and communications specialist. I talked to her a bit about the dating scene today.

In terms of online dating, Sefor says that being too open and overly willing to give strangers the benefit of the doubt might help you to meet more people .. but that behavior might also blind you to unhealthy red flags that could be waving right in front of you. Some of Sefors online dating red flags are:

Theres also importance to research before meeting someone in person. DePaul senior Mason Abernethy said I know that everyone does this and doesnt want to admit I search the girl up on Instagram and try to figure out her interests and whatnot. This is a way to ensure the person is not catfishing you or showing incongruent behaviors as Sefor notes above. But for Abernethy, his curiosity tends to outweigh his skepticism.

Personally, Ive never had a time where I didnt meet up with someone because of their red flags Ive just been too curious to figure out who they were, he said. Theres certainly differing levels of caution between men and women in the world we live in.

The golden rule is this: If something doesnt feel right, trust your gut! Sefor said. If youre feeling spontaneous, just make sure youre meeting in a public setting and keeping yourself safe.

Dont forget green flags

When the red flag trended on social media, many decided to flip the script and post their green flags, or things they look for in a partner. In a Twitter poll, there was a mixed reaction with 47.1 percent saying they look for both, 29.4 percent only look for red flags while 23.5 percent only look for green flags.

When Im looking for a relationship, I think I tend to focus more on the green flags at first, DePaul junior Linder Bozeman said. As the relationship develops, the red flags ultimately show themselves and it forces me to look at them.

Sefor said we should seek to find a balanced view. She said looking for the positives or green flags is incredibly important to know if you are compatible and your values align.

Some of her most vital green flags to watch for are:

Dont let your relationship blind you

Getting into a relationship nowadays can be incredibly difficult, so we tend to let our guards down when we find our person.

The problem in a long term relationship is that when the toxic behavior starts, you dont want to believe it, so you find ways to rationalize whats going on, Sefor said.

In another Twitter poll asking if people in a relationship still look for their partners red flags, 30 percent said they do not. Sefor has advice for those who are currently off the market:

It helps to have a partner that is very understanding and patient, Bozeman said. Again, Sefors advice of trusting your gut remains consistent in this situation as well.

The outsiders responsibility

Oftentimes, we find ourselves on the outside of a friend, family member or coworkers relationship. We hold a position of responsibility when it comes to ensuring our loved ones safety and wellbeing. She has some tips to look out for:

Sefor said its important for those in potentially volatile relationships to listen to those around them. No one knows you as well as your family and closest friends when theyre voicing concern about your relationships and changes that theyve seen in you, dont get defensive listen, because you may be too far in to see whats really happening, she said.

If this is happening to someone you love, Sefor advises you to find a way to separate them from their partner address your concerns offer to help them walk away call the police if its serious take action before its too late.

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Roses are red, but flags can be too - The Depaulia