Most people are familiar with #wastehistime2016, which has been trending for the past few days. And if you have not heard of it, it’s basically ways you can waste a man’s time. Specifically, a man who is interested in you or someone you’re already in a relationship with. These tweets can sum it up:

The majority of these posts are amusing and for the most part harmless. However, they say a lot on how are generation’s views relationships. A lot of people feel that men should not be offended because they are the ones who have been wasting women’s time way before this trend began.

So are women just blowing off built up steam from past unsuccessful relationships? Regardless it appears that millennials have callous attitudes towards relationships. Social media showcases that cheating and disrespecting each other in relationships is somehow funny. Right now we are living in a culture where “side chicks” and guys who are okay with being boyfriend # 2 is becoming increasingly the norm.

All the memes and videos reveal the distorted image we have in our head of a relationship. In this period of #relationshipgoals nothing seems real. People are losing sight of how to treat each other. A perfect post on Instagram does not reveal what actually goes on in someone’s relationship. People only see the outside and do not realize all of the emotion and effort that goes into a healthy relationship.

I know everyone is tired of New Year’s resolutions, but going into this new year we need to reflect on how we treat one another and improve, men and women. #wastehis/hertime2016 is not the answer.

There is enough negativity going on every day. Try not to add to it even if it is for a joke. You never know how your words are affecting someone.