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Introducing SABSing, the Anti-Dating-App Trend Taking Over College Campuses

Experts say SABSing encourages students to be visible, approachable, and open to meeting people offline.

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Apparently, there’s a new college dating trend going around, but it isn’t actually all that new in theory. Coined by Natalia Castillo, editor-in-chief of University of Pennsylvania’s student magazine in 2024, the trend is titled “SABS,” or “See And Be Seen”—and it’s exactly how it sounds.

SABSing involves something many of us avoid: being seen. This means appearing approachable while walking through crowded areas, sitting on the campus lawn amidst other students, and lingering long enough for someone to notice you. 

However, you must be tactful about it, as you’re not attempting to be seen by just about anybody, like your toxic ex or that clingy dating app match you’ve been avoiding. Rather, it’s about nonchalantly catching the attention of the person you’re crushing on or other potential dates.

“SABSing is an art—you duck for cover when you see that ex you swore you never wanted to see again, but you eagerly try to make eye........

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