The “Hey Stranger” Season Text

“Hey Stranger” season is probably the most ‘eye-rolling’ season ever. For those who have no idea what it means, it’s…

‘When you receive, or send, a message from someone you have hooked up with or had a relationship with in the past or wanted to but didn’t have the opportunity. The opening line of “hey stranger” is the socially acceptable way to say “it’s been a long time but I am still interested in hooking up if you are?”

It usually takes place a month before “cuffing season”. An old flame that you’ve sworn off reappears in your iMessages, your WhatsApp, your Direct Messages on Twitter and, if you’ve just uploaded a photo that didn’t need a filter, maybe Instagram too.

This is done to test the waters. Some men are trying to see if they still have what it takes to get you where they want you. He could probably just want another chance to date you or just sleep with you. Whatever it is, you mustn’t crumble, you mustn’t fall weak, no matter how much you liked him or whatever it was you shared in the past.

I had a “Hey Stranger” dude who was always on my case. Every couple of months he’d message me saying “Hey stranger, are you still with your man…?” I know, right? Thank God iPhones introduced the block option because that’s what happened.

The reason a lot of us fall for these moves is no different as to why we allow ex’s or past love interests into our lives again. We could be lonely, especially around the period when days become shorter and nights become longer. We’re women and, sometimes, we yearn to be loved, desired, and, dare I say it, ‘taken care of’ and mostly by a person we’re familiar with but, at times familiarity can bread contemptuousness and, after a while, you remember why you swore you’d never get involved with this person again. It becomes a cycle and it may seem harmless at first but it continues on being a cycle if you allow yourself to keep giving in, especially if you think you have ‘unresolved issues’.

Women do the exact same thing too. Yeah… I’ve had conversations with my guy friends who have been sent this infamous message and, even though the woman wasn’t reaching out for sexual reasons, they admitted to taking advantage of the situation. Because, well… ‘why not?’.

Now if you’re generally DTF (down to fuck) and both parties have made their intentions clear then that’s all it will be. Enjoy your rounds of sweaty sex. But if you find yourself moving to the beat of his drum because of your past experience with this person, let it go *Elsa voice*. It’s always good to communicate with your true intentions predominantly, if you’ve already got a history with the person.

So tell me have you ever been “hey stranger-ed”? Tweet me how you responded over Twitter @Oloni