To all the ladies out there, I’m sure that we can all agree that dating while we are in high school and college can be a tricky thing. One of the big reasons for this is because men (or should I even call them men?) are not mature enough to be in a relationship. Many girls like myself tend to settle for guys who don’t really deserve them and sometimes ignore all of the red flags telling you he is not the one. You ignore everything he does to hurt your feelings and you believe him when he says that “It will never happen again” or “I promise I’ll change."

I want to first make a point of saying that I am no relationship expert. I have just learned the things girls should look for in a relationship throughout my 19 years of life. These things cannot be ignored nor overlooked and some of you may need a wake-up call and that’s what I am here to do.

Here are some signs that should tell you he is not the one:

1. He doesn’t make you a priority.

It should be a huge red flag to you is if he doesn’t make you a priority in his life. Now, I don’t mean that he should drop everything and anything to rush over to you whenever you want him to, but you shouldn’t have to question whether or not you’re important to him. The bottom line is if a guy cares about you, he will make you his priority no matter what.

2. He doesn’t take an interest in the things you love.

Whether it's is your favorite band, hobby or place, if he doesn’t show any interest in these things he is not someone you should be with. Someone who truly loves you will want to be apart of the things you love and they will love them too because they make you happy. Being in a relationship means sometimes having to do things you don’t particularly want to but, you know will make the other person happy.

3. He’s nowhere to be found at important milestones in your life.

Someone who loves you will want to be there to support you during important times in your life. You shouldn’t have to ask them to be there and it shouldn’t be a fight to get him there. If he cares about you and loves you, he will be there for you no questions asked.

4. He makes you question your importance to him.

When you’re in a relationship, the one thing you should never have to do is question your importance to that person. When someone loves you, they will never stop showing you how much they care and how important you are to them, no matter how long you two are together.

5. Your parents don’t think he is right for you.

Let me tell you a true story. I had to drive a guy home that I was dating at the time, and it was snowing out. So obviously I had to brush the snow off my car before I could drive. While I did that, he just sat in the car on his phone. My dad saw me doing this from out the window and was furious that the guy didn’t even help me. From that point on and even to this day, my dad would always bring up that situation and tell me I deserved better and turns out he was right! Don’t be stubborn, your parents have been around longer than you, they know what they’re talking about.

6. He’s not afraid of losing you.

I truly believe in the saying “If your absence doesn’t affect them, then your presence didn’t mean anything at all.” If someone truly loves you, the thought of losing you should be heartbreaking and terrifying for them to imagine. They will do anything to keep you and if they don’t then you know it’s time to walk away. Besides, if he won’t treat you the way you deserve to be treated, there is someone else out there who will.

7. He looks disinterested when he is with you.

One of the most important things you need to look out for is how he acts when he is with you. If he looks bored or just stares at the T.V. or phone the whole time, then he is obviously not valuing his time with you.

8. He puts you down.

One of the most important parts of being in a relationship is that you should always support each other. You shouldn’t be with someone who brings you down and doesn’t push you to follow your dreams. When you’re feeling unsure about taking a chance or you feel like you’re not good enough, he should be there to remind you that you can do it and you are good enough. No one should ever make you feel small or bad about yourself.

9. He is constantly making excuses.

If he starts making excuses as to why he can't go somewhere with you, or as to why he is acting like a jerk, just don't even waste your time.

10. Your friends don't think he is right for you.

Another red flag is if your friends are telling you how they don't think you two are a good match. If more than one person can agree that he’s not right for you then you should definitely take their advice and kick him to the curb.

11. You start making excuses for him.

One thing that I am personally guilty of is continuing to make excuses for someone who doesn’t deserve it. If you find yourself continuously trying to justify his actions when there really are no explanations for it, let me tell you that you’re setting that relationship up for failure.

12. Everything turns into an argument.

If it gets to a point where he argues with you about anything and everything then you should know that he is not worth it. You shouldn’t have to be in a relationship where you feel like you are walking on egg shells around him.

13. He fails to keep promises.

I've heard this line one too many times, "I promise I'll change, it will never happen again." Guess what, he didn't change! And I ended up getting my heart broken relying on these promises. If he doesn't change his ways the first time you ask, he most certainly will not change the second, third or tenth time you ask him to. A relationship should never be about trying to make someone want to be with you.

14. He doesn’t make an effort.

Something that I personally think is very common in relationships is the lack of effort after being together for a long time. I've seen it in other people's relationships and even my own. If you’re with someone who consistantly doesn’t put any effort into your relationship then you know that it’s time to walk away. A relationship is a two-way street, and he should never make you feel like you’re the only one who cares enough to try.

I'd like to make a point again by saying that in no way am I a relationship expert, these are just some of the things I've taken notice to that I think all girls should pay attention to when dating. Remember, never settle for anything less than what you deserve!