8 Things I Wish I Knew About Dating Before My Twenties

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  1. Be yourself. Most of you are probably thinking, well duh. But honestly, this is one of the hardest concepts to master when you’re trying to find someone who you genuinely enjoy being around. If you can’t be yourself around this individual, than that person is not for you. Don’t be a chameleon girl. If you constantly change who you are to fit your guy’s personality, you will never truly be happy with the relationship or with yourself.
  2. Don’t pretend that you know information about sports that you don’t. All right ladies, you might absolutely love sports, which is totally awesome. But seriously, if you don’t know what you’re talking about, please don’t pretend that you do. Nothing is more uncomfortable and awkward than someone trying to discuss information about sports they don’t know anything about. It’s not okay. It’s just not. If you want to impress him, how about you ask him to teach you about sports or just watch the game with him? And don’t try to talk during the game… that is silly and outrageous. Trust me, he will be happy that you are watching the game with him.
  3. Chill out with the texts. We all live busy lives. Phones and texting are completely convenient and an easy way to communicate on a daily basis. However, don’t blow up his phone with a bunch of texts, especially if you know that he is busy. You’re a woman, so act like one. And to be honest, if you are just waiting around for a man to text you, you need to find another way to constructively spend your free time. Try reading a book, or going to the gym. Stop worrying about the guy so much. At the end of the day, if he likes you, he will talk to you.
  4. Playing mind games won’t get you anywhere. Treat others the way you wish to be treated. If you don’t want someone to play mind games with you then you shouldn’t play mind games with the person you’re dating. Be straightforward and honest.
  5. Be straightforward and honest. Why not just tell him how you are feeling? Stop saying, “I’m fine” or “it’s alright”. If you’re upset, why not just say “I am upset”? It’s simple and it’s easy. If he cares about you, he will want to try and fix the issue. However, if you are upset because he didn’t text you when he got home after hanging out with his friends or he never told you that you looked pretty that night, be prepared for him to maybe tell you that you’re being ridiculous. And if he does saying you’re being ridiculous, you might want to hold on to that guy, because you probably are in fact being a bit ridiculous and he did stand up for himself which is a lovely trait for a man to have.
  6. Have your own goals. If you have specific goals that you are striving to accomplish in your life, it makes it a lot easier to find someone who fits with your future. If you are lacking your own goals and aspirations, it makes it a lot harder to understand another person’s passions.
  7. Don’t Lower Your Standards. This is simple. Know what you are looking for and don’t stray from your standards. It is important to realize that you can’t change anyone unless they want to change for themselves first. Many women want to be that girl who wants to change a specific guy and make him a “better person”. Chances are if you believe this, or try and compensate for his lack of care, you’ll end up lowering your standards to attempt to make excuses for his behavior.
  8. Have fun. You’re young, so you can act like it. Don’t worry so much about everything all the time. Dating should be fun; you should enjoy being with the person you are with. If you aren’t having fun, than the relationship isn’t for you.