Dating trends have changed drastically with the emergence of social media.
It is no longer friends arranging dates. Apps, reels and stories have made it easier to connect with more people.
Online dating has become the norm of new-age romance, and terms and phrases such as fizzling and masterdating have become catchy.
Now, pebbling, a new trend inspired by penguins, is gaining popularity and has made a lot of social media users happy.
It means giving small presents or making kind gestures to your partner to make his or her day brighter.
It draws inspiration from Gentoo penguins, usually found on the Falkland Islands. According to the New York Post, when a penguin has a crush, it gives pebbles to the other penguin which are used to build nests. This signals that it is keen on becoming a mating partner.
In the case of humans, pebbling can take place in the form of memes, Instagram reels, social media posts or simple messages to show affection.
“I think it’s the cutest thing ever because memes are a love language these days. Pebbling started with the advent of meme-sending as a form of creating a connection with people,” relationship expert Gigi Engle told Metro UK.
“You simply see something that reminds you of someone you love, and you send it to them.”
Gen Z looks at memes as a form of interaction, often in lieu of text messaging.
Ms Engle said: “It’s a way of sending a message saying, ‘I saw this and thought of you’.
“Pebbling can be a really good way of building banter and a connection with a partner. It doesn’t have to be physical stuff – it’s meme culture.”
However, if the pebbles – which include posts, videos and memes – quickly cease between two people, there could be a problem.
“Pebbling does have the potential to set an expectation of communication you’re going to have throughout your relationship, so that’s something to keep in mind,” said Ms Engle.
“If you stop pebbling, the other person may wonder what they did wrong.”
