'Paperclipping': What is this new dating trend?

Remember 'Clippy,' the irritating paperclip assistant that used to pop up in Microsoft Word when you really just wanted to be left alone?

He's back, but now he's a 20-something guy with commitment issues and a smartphone, and he's started a new dating trend.

Okay, so maybe that's not exactly what's happening here, but Clippy has inspired the name of a new dating trend that's becoming more and more common; 'paperclipping.'

The name, inspired by a comic by illustrator Samantha Rothenberg, refers to those guys who seem to pop up when you're least expecting it and remind you that they exist, despite not actually wanting to date you.

Described by Rothenberg as "damaged, flaky, and not particularly interested," these guys often reappear when they want attention or validation, before disappearing again when they lose interest.

Most of us have met a 'paperclipper' or two; think that guy who goes on two dates with you, loses interest, then randomly pops up in your Instagram DMs every few months when you post a fire selfie.

Often their messages will be totally unassuming and make no reference to the fact that they've not spoken to you in like, forever, but they pull you in anyway because it's just so random that they've messaged.

Usually you're left wondering what they want, and if you still carry a flame for this guy it's easy to think that maybe, finally, he's realised that he's madly in love with you too.

We have some bad news for you – he's not.

The paperclipper is someone who feeds off validation, even if it's just a text back, they just want a reaction out of you, not a whirlwind romance and a wedding by the sea.

In fact, just a few texts back are usually enough to entertain them until they pop up again in another four months.

So what do you do when a paperclipper pops up in your Instagram DMs or your Facebook messenger inbox?

Nothing. You don't ask how they've been, you don't see if they want to go for a drink, and you definitely don't ask what they're doing at 1am.

Instead, you do the one thing they can't stand; you deny them the validation they want, and you ignore them, just like you ignored Clippy before Microsoft Word finally got rid of him.