The conventional roster of life milestones is under review. Having kids in your 30s is no longer a given, if kids are part of the plan at all. Career progression is non-linear, with freelancers projected to make up nearly 51% of the US workforce by 2027. Older Adults are headed back into the workforce or finding new forms of independence after retirement. And Gen Z, resigned to the feeling that owning property is a financial impossibility, are trying to embrace a more fluid definition of home. Getting onboard with non-traditional life paths isn’t about giving up on life goals – it’s about reframing them to fit with new needs, and new realities. The pandemic left people reeling and reprioritising life choices, with some leaning hard into comfort and stability, and others pursuing adventure and flexibility. A challenging economic landscape and the only-escalating climate crisis is adding to overall global stressors that are pushing people toward the pragmatic in some cases, and the spontaneous in others. And for most, standardised, conventional elements of life are being recalibrated. People are celebrating holidays and creating rituals with both friends and family, opting to have kids later in life, on their own, or not at all, exploring ethically non-monogamous relationships, and living nomadically far from home. But while a more fluid world means more freedom, a lack of clear direction can be disorienting. And for growing numbers, it is restrictions induced by the global climate leading them to make decisions about families and finances, rather than purely a desire to live differently. These shifts mean people are looking to brands and businesses to guide them, support their choices and empower them as they explore ways through life beyond the traditional pathways.

The internet has transformed sex beyond recognition, but whether this change is for the better or worse is still open to discussion. We sit down with Lisa Wade, associate professor of sociology and author of American Hookup, to explore the behaviours attached to hook-up culture.

We’re used to swiping right on potential dates, but what about prospective friends? A proliferation of friendship apps have seen the swiping approach applied to the friendship market, too. Stigma still tinges these apps, but the realities of modern society mean that we may never have needed them more.

From picking out the best profile pictures to conjuring up a witty bio, online dating is a tricky business. Now, dating app Hinge has identified another obstacle for swiping singletons – people are misrepresenting themselves online to make them seem more attractive; a trend dubbed kittenfishing.