Congrats! You’ve finally made it out of the crushing phase and entered your GF/BF era. While a new relationship may feel exciting, it’s totally normal to have some nerves. If you want to make sure you start off your ‘ship on the right foot, keep these things in mind.
Communication is *everything*
All relationships will eventually reach a time when you disagree on something, and that’s okay. Facing conflict head-on can be difficult, but if you prioritize open communication and honesty in your relationship early on, any problems that pop up will be easier to deal with. Your partner should be someone you can talk to about anything and everything (think: your nerves about the upcoming bio test, your excitement about winter break and, yep, even your disappointment when they forgot to FaceTime you last weekend). Skip the emotional guessing games, and be willing to talk about how you feel in the moment. Honesty is the best policy!
Discover and share your boundaries
With healthy communication also comes talking about your boundaries with each other. Will you two text every day? Meet each other’s fam? PDA in front of friends? In a new relationship, you might discover a boundary you didn’t even know you had (maybe holding hands is cool, but kissing still makes you nervous). Remember: You should never do anything you don’t feel comfortable with. The same goes for your partner, so make sure you ask and respect their boundaries, too. And if they push you or make you feel bad? That’s a clear sign this person isn’t for you.
Go on date nights that both of you enjoy
Date night should be fun for *both* of you, which is why it’s v. important to figure out what your bae likes to do in their spare time. While you might love a Marvel movie marathon, your S.O. might not vibe with superheroes—and that’s OK. Make sure you’re planning outings that cater to both of your interests, whether that’s an outdoor picnic, browsing the bookstore or taking a trail hike.
Make time for each other
When you get into a new relationship, it’s important to make time for your partner. Adding dates to your already busy schedule can be hard to navigate at first, especially if you’ve been single for a while—but planning ahead can help with this hurdle. Between school, extracurricular activities and everything else that might be on your plate, scheduling a date night a few days or weeks ahead is always a smart idea. That way, you know you have a dedicated time to connect (and you have something fun to look forward to—win-win!).
Support each other when you can
In a healthy relationship, your success = their success (and vice-versa). Now that you two are official, you should be each other’s biggest cheerleaders. Whether you’re bedazzling a poster to cheer them on at soccer finals or hyping them up before the winter play auditions, showing up to support your S.O. is kind of a non-negotiable. And remember, they should be right there for all of your wins, too.
Make time for yourself, too
Spending time with your new boo is important, it’s also important to take moments for yourself, too. Keep up with your solo hobbies, have self-care days and don’t forget about your friends and fam. Your partner should be your complement, not your missing piece—so don’t give up the things that make you, well, YOU.
Need more dating advice? We’ve got you covered:
💌 “Dear Carol, My BF opened up to me about an incident, and I don’t know what to do”
💌 7 small ways your crush shows they care about you
💌 Alphabet date ideas you need to try
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