“Mid”—just three little letters, but they pack an outsized punch in the world of dating. If you’ve heard singles, especially young people, tossing around this term, you know it means something—or, more precisely, it means something isn’t much of anything at all. In today’s dating scene, “mid” has become a shortcut to dismiss what’s seen as average or not remarkable. But this attitude does more than turn up noses at perfectly good options—it sets a tone that shapes relationships, self-image, and even faith-based approaches to romance.
Let’s walk through what “mid” really means, how it got here, and how it’s quietly changing the way people meet, connect, and make decisions about love. And, as Christians, let’s consider how we can respond to a culture that prizes “exceptional” and sneers at the ordinary.
What Does “Mid” Actually Mean?
“Mid” is short for “middle” or “mediocre.” In slang, it describes something that’s just okay—not terrible, but certainly not special, notable, or exciting. The term first popped up in marijuana culture to mean “mid-grade—neither the best nor the worst.” Over time, it migrated to social media, where Gen Z and others adopted it as an all-purpose way to label movies, food, music, events, and (increasingly) people as nothing to get excited about.
Ask someone about a date, and if you hear, “It was mid,” you’re not hearing about a disaster—you’re hearing about the absence of fireworks, chemistry, or instant attraction. The problem is, when everything “mid” gets swept aside, fewer things are left to appreciate or build on.
How “Mid” Shows Up In Dating
Dating app culture has turbocharged the idea of “mid.” Swipe-based platforms put dozens of choices at everyone’s fingertips. Instead of taking time to get to know someone, people make snap judgments based on limited photos or profiles. If a person or exchange feels any less than exhilarating, it’s labeled “mid”—and the search continues for the next best thing.
This relentless filtering means more and more people are being categorized as “mid.” These judgments aren’t always about character or values, but about appearance, charisma, or the ability to make a first impression in a few digital seconds. A pretty good first date, in earlier decades, might have been the start of something beautiful. Now, it’s “mid”—and it’s goodbye.
Raising the Bar… Or Just Missing the Point?
There’s nothing wrong with having standards or hoping for a genuine connection. But the “mid” mindset tends to foster hyper-selectivity, even entitlement. Singles convince themselves they deserve only the “exceptional”—the most attractive, witty, successful, or popular matches. As they chase this elusive ideal, many ignore a whole world of “average” people who actually have the qualities that make relationships work: kindness, dependability, faithfulness, a sense of humor, and the capacity for real love.
This approach doesn’t just influence who gets a second date. It can spread into ongoing relationships, where ordinary disagreements or periods of comfort and routine are suddenly reframed as “mid” experiences unworthy of commitment. Instead of working through hard moments or embracing the natural ebb and flow of connection, couples are encouraged to chase newness and perfection.
The Cycle of Superficiality
Here’s the sad irony: the more people hunt for those “above mid” experiences, the less satisfied they often feel. Relationships start and fizzle quickly. There’s little interest in working through imperfections—after all, why try fixing “mid” when endless new options promise more excitement just a swipe away?
Many singles fall into “situationships”—relationships with little clarity or commitment. Everything is temporary, based on whether the spark continues or excitement lasts. When it doesn’t, partners move along, always searching for what isn’t “mid” and rarely uncovering the deeper joy that comes with persistence, grace, and maturity.
The research backs this up. If you want healthy relationships, it’s less about initial chemistry and more about things like open communication, shared values, and mutual support. But when “mid” becomes a judgment for anything not instantly electrifying, it’s easy to miss these slow-burn qualities.
“Mid” and Self-Image
The “mid” trend also does a number on self-esteem. If everyone’s worried about being seen as “mid,” the pressure to stand out, impress, or cultivate a flawless online persona grows. Singles pour effort into presentation: perfect pictures, witty bios, curated hobbies. But inside, many are left with insecurity. Are they exciting enough? Attractive enough? How many times have they been dismissed, unseen, or overlooked as “mid” themselves?
This anxiety chips away at confidence and even shapes how people approach vulnerability and honesty in relationships. If being real or average is “mid,” many would rather be inauthentic than risk rejection.
Is “Mid” Really the Enemy of Commitment?
In a world dominated by “mid-phobia,” real, solid commitment can feel almost countercultural. The routines of everyday love—making coffee together in the morning, weathering a tough work week, showing up for someone in sickness and health—are by nature “ordinary.” They won’t trend on TikTok or rack up “likes,” but they are precisely what make loving, godly marriages thrive.
The “mid” mindset, by contrast, encourages impatience and gives up easily. Instead of seeing periods of calm, routine, or even boredom as part of a cycle that includes passion and growth, people are taught to move on the minute things stop feeling “special.”
The Christian Response: Embracing the “Ordinary”
Everything in today’s “mid”-obsessed world says that what’s normal or average is barely worth a glance. But the Bible tells a different story—one where God does His finest work through what (to the world) seems small, unremarkable, or “mid.” Ordinary people become the fathers and mothers of great nations. Average loaves and fishes feed crowds. Unimpressive beginnings lead to eternal significance.
Marriage and relationships flourish not in a series of mountaintop moments, but in faithfulness through ordinary, daily acts of love, patience, self-sacrifice, and forgiveness. In God’s eyes, so-called “mid” things—working through a misunderstanding, forgiving a hurt, or choosing to love when the butterflies are gone—become holy ground.
Valuing Character Over Hype
For Christian singles and those who counsel them, it’s important to encourage a focus on character, godliness, and genuine kindness over fleeting chemistry or viral potential. When looking for a spouse, the goal shouldn’t be to avoid “mid” at all costs, but to seek a partner with whom one can build a life rooted in Christ, marked by service, humility, and joy in the everyday. Physical attraction and excitement may start the journey, but they can’t sustain it.
Reframing Expectations
Biblically, love is patient, love is kind. It doesn’t envy or boast; it isn’t proud. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13). These aren’t descriptions of “superhuman” relationships or the feelings sweeping through rom-coms. They’re the marks of faithfulness in a thousand ordinary moments.
Counselors and Christian mentors can challenge the “mid” narrative gently. Guide singles to see the beauty in relationships that won’t always feel Instagram-worthy. Help couples recognize that a vibrant, joyful marriage is less about avoiding the “mid” than about intentionally honoring God in every facet of life together—exciting, mundane, and everything in between.
The Value of Ordinary
“Mid” isn’t a death knell. In fact, life’s most profound blessings are often found in the ordinary, the faithful, and the “average”—if only we have the eyes to see them. Think of the steady presence of a spouse after a long, hard day. The comfort of prayer together before bed. The slow unfolding of trust and partnership. These sacred “average” moments lay the foundation for a love that lasts.
Jesus called people not to chase the spectacular, but to follow Him in regular, everyday faithfulness. So, too, in dating and marriage. The world may promote a culture that runs from anything “mid,” but Christians are called to delight in God’s gifts—big and small—and to see, in each “ordinary” day, a hundred reasons for gratitude and joy.
Moving Forward—Beyond “Mid”
As cultural trends come and go, let’s help young people—and ourselves—rediscover the profound beauty of ordinary relationships. Let’s champion values that last over impressions that fade. Let’s build marriages and friendships that can withstand the seasons of “mid” and grow ever sweeter for it.
When the world says, “Don’t settle for mid,” let’s answer: “In Christ, I will pursue faithfulness, patience, and love. I believe God does some of His best work in what the world calls ordinary.”
That’s a trend you can count on for a lifetime.