It frustrates me when men play games with me, especially through texting. If I'm seeing someone, I believe it's reasonable to expect regular communication. If someone goes a full 24 hours without responding to my texts, but then acts like nothing is wrong when they finally do get in touch, they are in for a surprise.
1. He's Just Playing Games
It's frustrating when someone tries to manipulate my emotions by not responding to my texts promptly. I expect this behavior from teenagers, not adult men. I wish that people would be more straightforward with me instead of playing these pointless games and wasting my time.
2. It Makes Him Seem So Insecure
If he doesn't respond to my texts immediately, I tend to assume that he either doesn't know what to say or is trying to seem more desirable and interesting by pretending to be busy. However, a self-assured man wouldn't do this because he would already be aware that he has my attention. It's time to mature.
3. He Thinks I Have No Idea What's Going On Here
Who is this person trying to deceive? Do they genuinely believe that I will view their delayed response as a sign of their busy and important lifestyle, causing me to feel honored that they made time for me? No. I will likely think, "That's strange. What a peculiar person." This behavior is not mysterious or intriguing, it is quite ridiculous.
4. I'm Not About To Spend My Time Waiting For A Lazy Texter
If he doesn't respond to my texts promptly, I find myself spending the day wondering about the reason for his lack of response and continuously checking my phone. I also waste time discussing the situation with my friends. I don't want to spend my time and energy on these activities.
5. I'm Over The "I'm Busy" Excuse
It only takes a moment to send a text saying "okay." There is no excuse for being too busy to respond to a simple message. Even when I am very busy, I still take a few minutes at the end of the day to respond to notifications. He could have easily responded while setting his alarm before going to bed.
6. A Grown Man Should Be Able To Multi-task
If he hasn't responded to my text within 24 hours, it leads me to believe that he doesn't know how to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. I don't understand why some men act as if they can't text and do other things at the same time. My father has even been able to read the newspaper while eating cereal, so I don't think this can be attributed to men not being able to multitask. If he offers the excuse of being "caught up in something" for an entire day, I won't believe it.
7. He's Testing Me And I Refuse To Be An Experiment
He wants to confirm that I'm interested in him, so he thinks not texting me for a day will achieve this. However, the joke is on him because I have already removed this person from my dating prospects after not hearing from them for 24 hours. I guess I failed his test?
8. Contrary To What He Was Hoping, I Won't Chase Him
I understand that he believes ignoring me will make me desire him more, but all I see is a man who has to resort to immaturity and manipulative tactics to try to win a woman's affection. This is not appealing to me.
9. It's Too Stressful To Wait For A Reply
Is he aware of the impact of making me wait for a text overnight? I am unable to relax, my thoughts are racing, and I continuously check my phone without receiving any new messages. The stress is overwhelming, especially for someone like me who becomes agitated easily.
10. He Wouldn't Have Done That To A Friend
He is only treating me this way because I am a potential romantic interest. He would never behave like this towards one of his friends, and if he did, he would apologize for not responding within a day. While he may not know me well at this point, I am still a person deserving of respect.
11. There's Something Called Texting Etiquette - He Should Follow It
Given how quickly one can text someone back, it should never take more than a day to reply. If it does, an apology or acknowledgment of the delay should be offered. There are unspoken rules for texting, just as there are rules for dining. It is not a joke, these guidelines do exist.
12. He's Trying To Control The Situation And That's Annoying
By taking an excessively long time to respond to my text, he is behaving like a typical jerk, which is not attractive. I understand that he may be setting boundaries, trying to prevent me from constantly messaging him, and wanting to maintain control of the interaction. However, 24 hours is excessive. Seriously, this is ridiculous.
Why Would It Take A Guy 24 Hours To Respond Anyway?
Even the busiest person should be able to take a few seconds to answer a text. If there is no response for more than a day, this is what I imagine might be happening.
1. He's Talking To Other Women
This is the first thought that comes to mind when he hasn't responded to my text within 24 hours. I am familiar with how men's brains work and since we are "just talking" and not in an official relationship, nothing is preventing him from being involved with multiple women at once. If he isn't messaging me, he must be messaging one of them, which is frustrating and unacceptable to me.
2. He's Trying To Play Hard To Get
Even if he isn't texting other women, he is still behaving immaturely by intentionally causing me to wait for his response, in the hopes that I will like him more or try harder to get his attention. This is not a common courtesy. It is polite to respond to a message, especially if you are genuinely interested in the sender.
3. He Doesn't Know How He Feels About Me
If we are still in the early stages of dating, he may be taking a long time to respond because he is unsure of how invested he is in me or if he likes me very much. I can understand this to an extent, as I don't always know right away if I'm really into a guy. However, he will never be able to determine his feelings if he doesn't communicate with me.
4. I'm Not A Priority To Him
If he hasn't responded to my text within 24 hours, it seems that I may not be a priority for him. I understand that he may have other commitments and responsibilities, and I don't expect him to prioritize me above everything else. However, it would be considerate for him to let me know that he is busy and will get back to me when he has the opportunity. If he does not, I can only infer that he does not care about my feelings or our communication.
5. He's Obviously Not That Interested
Ultimately, when you have strong feelings for someone, you want to communicate with them frequently, especially in the early stages of a relationship. If he is content with not speaking to me for a full day or multiple days, then it seems that he may not be very interested in me. If he is interested, his behavior does not reflect it.
If you, like me, are tired of waiting for men to respond to your texts, here are some suggestions from dating expert Matthew Hussey on what you can do instead.
