31 Dating Rules Everyone Needs To Start Following Right Now

(1) Date people you would want to be friends with. But don’t expect them to be your friends. We’re in our 20’s. We all have friends already.

(2) If you’re single, have a couple of reliable hook-ups. It keeps you from becoming dependent on one person. And helps you keep learning new things in bed.

(3) Try to be careful about unprotected sex. Realize that for every time you lie about not having unprotected sex with other partners, your casual partners could be doing the same. Do yourself a favor: condoms.

(4) When you are single, you will feel lonely at some points. It’s ok to sleep with someone just to be next to another human being. But call a friend up first. You’ll feel a lot better in the morning.

(5) Rules for friends with benefits: make sure your partner knows about other partners in an abstract way, but don’t go into specifics. We’re all human, and we all will get jealous if we can picture other people with names and faces.

(6) Judge a person by how they act with their friends. Be very concerned if the ones they do have are weird/crazy. Be more concerned if they have none.

(7) Don’t forget: everyone on a first date is interchangeable. You are not special. Neither is the person you’re on a date with. Don’t be formulaic. Your sole goal is to figure out if you’re on a formulaic date or if you’re having a genuine conversation.

(8) Be cautious about virgins. Or people our age who have never had a serious relationship. If you must go down that road, be aware that they will be clueless and you will have to teach them everything.

(9) Don’t wait to have sex until you’re emotionally invested. If you find out the sex is terrible then you’re fucked. But not in a good way.

(10) Ask for what you want in bed right away. Or else you risk falling into a sexually unsatisfying relationship. The more time passes, the more awkward it’ll be to ask for something new unless you’ve established a pattern embracing creativity in bed. It will always feel like there is something lacking, not just sexually but emotionally.

(11) Good sex and communication create a positive feedback loop. If you communicate well, you will have good sex. If you have good sex, you will feel better connected to your partner and will be better able to express yourself in all aspects of your relationship.

(12) Be your entire self, not just one version of yourself in a relationship. You’ll feel feel comfortable sooner. And if you hide a part of yourself you’ll feel suffocated later on. If you continue a relationship like that, it will catch up to you.

(13) Never ever ever include your face or any recognizable features from your room in a naked photo to a hook-up.

(14) You have between 2-3 months of living in the beautiful limbo-land of new hook-up world. After that, as painful/awkward as the conversation can be, it’s time to Define the Relationship (DTR). You have three choices: either continue to have an open hookup relationship (and definitely hook up with other people if you’re not already), go monogamous, or stop.  Whichever way the conversation works out, it will be a very revealing conversation about your prospects with that person.

(15) If you’re in limbo-land, always assume your partner is hooking up with other people.

(16) Anything goes before someone has dropped the “Love” bomb.

(17) Blackout dance floor makeouts are not cheating. Technically you weren’t even mentally there.

(18) When planning an international trip with your significant other: you should already have been together for more time than the time until the start date of your trip. And there should be a minimum amount of time that that should be. Probably 6 months at the least.

(19) Monogamy is an agreement that you believe your partner is special. Make sure that you actually believe that and you haven’t projected your ideal partner onto their face before you commit to that.

20) If something is bothering you, bring it up. If you’re confused about something, ask about it. There’s no benefit to wasting energy stressing.

(21) Remember that “dating”  = the process of getting to know a person. Just because you’re dating someone, does not mean you have to stay with them. Don’t overstay the party. If you’re unhappy more often than you’re happy, it’s time to shut it down. Trying to stick it out for too long will be a waste of time for both people.

(22) To expand on that, you are not obligated to date the first person you hook up with post long-term-relationship. And probably shouldn’t date that person. You are probably more attached to them then your reasonable self would be.

(23) If you’re considering taking next steps with your significant other, make sure your lifestyles are compatible. And realize that you will not be able to hook up with other people after that.

(24) When you’re monogamous, your partner will be one of your best friends. But keep up with your best girl friends. Because if/when you and your partner break up, you’ll have lost that best friend but your girl friends will be around for life.

(25) Remember: every person you date has something to teach you about yourself, or about relationships. Except maybe blackout makeouts. Those will teach you nothing.

(26) Make sure after each “relationship” ends that you take a moment to reflect on and define what that is you should have learned.

(27) Sex with an ex? If the sex was fantastic and you have no emotional ties anymore, go for it. Having good sex is like working out – you’ll never regret it.

(28) Don’t have sex with anyone your friends have had emotional feelings for. This one should go without saying. #Chicksbeforedicks.

(29) You cannot fundamentally change your significant other. All you can do is think about whether you can put up with their shit and they can put up with yours.

(30) There are some guys you will just naturally be really really attracted to. they are probably the ones with a lot of testosterone. Take advantage while you can. #YOLO.

(31) It’s unfortunate, but if you’re a girl you will be judged for having casual sex by people that would not judge men for making the same choices. People in relationships will not always understand your “lifestyle”. Own your freedom. And always be careful not to slut-shame others.