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Relationships 101: Real girls on their top five love lessons

Being in a relationship can be fun and exhilarating, but it can also be complicated—and you're bound to make a mistake or two along the way. We asked five girls their worst relationship mistakes and what it helped them learn about love and life. Read on...

Open up

"I overthought everythng and wasn't honest about my feelings," said 14-year-old Rachel. "Eventually, he just got tired of not know what was going on in my head." While you don't have to tell him every little thing he does that bugs you, be clear about your feelings, both positive and negative. Honesty is everything.

Keep it balanced

Don’t let him take control! “My worst mistake was letting him run the relationship” said Sarah, 13. “I was too shy and reserved”. A relationship should be about what each individual wants. Don’t let him force you into doing things in a certain way, even if it's just always picking the movie or restaurant you go to. Likewise, don’t control your man—it's not healthy, and it'll only cause resentment.

Slow down

We all have the tendency to rush into things (relationships are *way* exciting), but it’s important to take things slowly. "I wish I had gone a bit slower on the physical side,” said Amy, 16. "It’s important to build an emotional relationship before an intimate, physical one." P.S.—Know that you can always say no if you feel your BF is taking things too fast. If he doesn't respect you, dump him.

Remember you

"It’s important to balance both your relationship and individual life,” said Melanie, 17. “You have to have a strong sense of self and have your own hobbies and enjoyment outside of the relationship. I didn't, and when we got over the 'honeymoon' phase, there wasn't much to talk about.” Having a little independence will help you appreciate each other as people.

Think logically

"Think about yourself and whether the relationship will benefit you in the long term,” said 17-year-old Grace. "I didn't stop and consider whether it was the right guy at the right time, and it ended up blowing up in a major way." He's going away to college in a month? Maybe not the best time to launch into a lovefest. He's your bestie's sister's ex? Try to take everyone's feelings into consideration.

What's your worst relationship mistake? What did you learn from it? Let us know below!

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