15 Things To Remember When You’re Looking For Love In Your Twenties

“The best way to meet a significant other is while doing things you actually like to do. If you really don’t like going to bars and getting wasted don’t try to meet future love interests at bars.” — everyones_hiro

“It’s a numbers game. If you get rejected, move on and try again with someone else. Don’t waste months or years of your life hoping someone who isn’t attracted to you is going to change their mind: go find someone who is attracted to you, I promise they are out there.” — C4TERW4L

“You cannot change anyone. Don’t think you can save them. If someone is consistently pushing your boundaries, they do not care about your comfort. Actions seriously do speak louder than words, if someone is constantly having to apologize for doing the same thing over and over again they really are not sorry.” — gimmehorror

“Never make someone a priority when you’re just an option. Dating is as much about checking the other person is right for you, as it is about you making a good impression on them… if their energy and interest doesn’t match yours, then take the loss walk away politely and don’t look back.” — lhsofthebellcurve

“Don’t sell yourself short. If you’ve got a crush and you think they don’t notice you, give it a shot anyways. Can’t tell you how many people I wanted to date but thought they were out of my league, only to find out a decade later the feeling was mutual and realizing how sad you are an opportunity was missed.” — onescaryarmadillo

“Don’t be scared to say no. Your boundaries/safety matter more than the other person’s feelings.” — PurpleDreamer28

“Listen! Half of the mystery surrounding another person can be solved just by listening to them. ‘What do they like? What do they hate? What do I get them? Where should I take them? How will they react to X?’ Believe it or not, it’s possible to know most of that before the need to know it ever comes up, but only if you were paying attention.“ — wormjob

“Foremost, get to really know yourself, forgive yourself for your faults and mistakes, and learn to love yourself.” — L0nzilla

“If you’re looking for a long term relationship, don’t compromise the things that make you happy, don’t compromise on the things in their personality that you find attractive for the sake of good looks or you’re feeling desperate to just find anyone no matter what. It might feel hopeless to be single for a long time but thats better than being in a shitty relationship because you compromised.” — Craigothy-YeOldeLord

“If you are dating with the end goal of potentially finding a life partner, be choosy. Looks fade. Their character likely won’t.” — Beginning-Rip-7458

“Don’t look for a romantic partner (boyfriend/girlfriend). Just look for a decent friend. Put the romance on the back burner and just find someone you can talk to. Someone you can be yourself around. If you like that person after you get to know them (not just because you like their packaging), kick it up to the next level. But start on the friends level. If you can’t be friends, you won’t have a good romantic relationship.” — GingerMau

“Don’t settle. Not necessarily about looks, but really pay attention to their personality and how they react to different situations. If there’s any inkling of a red flag, move on. Nothing worse than being stuck with someone who makes you miserable because you thought you couldn’t do better.” — km8907

“Don’t stay with someone who makes you feel bad about yourself. That is not a good relationship.” — Regina_Runner

“If you’re going to engage in promiscuity with multiple partners, use protection, test regularly, and be respectful of both your partners and yourself.“ — pradbitt87

“Why are you trying to date? What’s the end goal? Seriously, take the time to consider the question. Are you just following the crowd? Are you dating because everyone else does it, and it’s what you’re supposed to do? Nah, you’re searching for a life partner, someone to marry and start a family of your own with. Take some time to get to know yourself, find your flaws, find your strengths, find out what you do on impulse. What kind of partner do you want? What kind of person do you want raising your future children? If you want kids of your own, you need to seriously take time to think about that. You are looking for someone to start a family with and raise kids together, take that VERY seriously! Relationships are hard, they take a lot work, you need to communicate, establish boundaries and rules, and if you’re lucky, you’ll have someone who’s is on your side, to pick you up when you’re down, to encourage you and help you take over the world, if you want. You are going to have difficult conversations, it’s almost guaranteed that there will be hard times ahead, but no matter who you are, we all want/need someone who’s gonna be a rock to help us get through the tough times.” — affecting_society