Written by Mayah Cantave, Staff Writer

Have you ever been “talking” to someone, and then they completely disappear on you? You’re left wondering what happened and why? Well, you’ve been ghosted.

Ghosting, also called “slow fade,” is a term used to describe the action of cutting off all ties and communication with another person. Usually when someone gets “ghosted”, they are dismissed without any explanation.

As a society, we have desensitized ourselves to forming deep connections with others during the “talking” stage. Ghosting usually happens during this stage when you are trying to see if you mesh well with someone that you are dating or someone that you are friends with.

There’s a preconceived notion that people can get ghosted during the beginning of a relationship. However, ghosting can happen after just one date or after months of dating. No one is safe from this phenomenon. It has become increasingly popular, because of the use of online dating apps.

There are many pros and cons to “going ghost” on someone. For example, when a person has set boundaries and the other person continues to cross those boundaries, sometimes the best thing to do is to cut them off.

Another pre-conceived notion about ghosting someone is that it’s all about what the other person is doing wrong. This is not always true. Some people can’t handle any kind of confrontation, or they lack the emotional maturity needed to breakup with someone face-to-face.

The effectiveness of ghosting someone is debatable. For example, it may be easier if someone was trying to spare their partner’s feelings. Unfortunately, there are some people in the world that you may not get along with; that’s when ghosting occurs.

There’s not a deadline to tell someone you’re not interested, so you disappear. It’s nicer than saying, “I don’t like you.”

Going ghost on someone is easier than people realize, and it is not an easy concept. Sometimes, it can happen unintentionally. It starts off with missing or ignoring a phone call, text or email, then breaking promises to chill, then forgetting to text someone back. Before you know it, a month has gone by, and you’ve ghosted someone.

It is the ultimate form of rejection, and the ever-so-popular use of dating apps such as Tinder and many more have made ghosting extremely easy.

If someone wants to date, hook up, or be friends with someone, then they will be. Occasionally, those who are ghosted are worth getting to know. But sometimes, you have to move on and say, “Bye Felicia.”

By: Mayah Cantave