In these fast times, dating sites are accessible, TikTok and YouTube allow us the option to double video speed, and content creators have to make sure their outputs are catchy within the first few seconds or else they won’t get any interactions. Because of these things, most continue to undervalue the beauty of slow burn.
The digital age has made people addicted to instant gratification instead of embracing patience and effort, especially when it comes to finding genuine connections. However, the recent Gitnux Report showed that 49% of millennials think dating apps make it difficult to establish true connections. Gen Z also yearns for more organic relationships or what they call “slow burn romance.”
A “slow-burn romance” is when the attraction between two people gradually builds over time and the bond grows deeper and stronger. This can allow lovers to explore their emotions, complexities, and empower themselves without too much angst.
The internet has made different romance tropes known, such as the love at first sight trope, the second chance trope, the fake dating trope, the forbidden love trope, and so on. But what exactly makes the Slow Burn Trope special?
This could be your childhood friend, your high school seatmate, the one you met in college in a school organization, through a friend, or it could even be someone you initially disliked. You could meet this person unexpectedly, but you just can’t be together right away because you mostly differ in paths, backgrounds, and personalities before eventually finding common ground.
A slow burn gives space for authenticity. You get to build more assurance with someone before you’re ready to let your guard down. Then, you feel safer and more secure with each other. Once romance blooms, it’s more profound and long-lasting. You don’t even have to try and change so much, instead, you embrace more.
As you spend more time with someone, you get to assess your chemistry, your shared interests and values, and your capacity to build a future together. With the attraction building up, so are the reasons to consider a deeper, more serious relationship down the line. It can become complex and strained, so you take the process slowly and patiently.
There’s nothing more sincere than a person who considers you for who you are, despite the changes that have happened since you met in months or even years. It ultimately makes you feel at ease with the beauty and process of time.
But despite that, not every potential couple that goes through this slow-burn trope gets to have their happily ever after because they might have realized it too late and missed out on a chance of great love. Or the other chooses to carry on instead of yearning. With this, the key is to give importance to timing, communication, and seizing the days.
