Electrified chills, awkward laughs, nervous dates. As you begin to talk to someone new, your heartbeat cannot stop racing. You have so many emotions; you cannot quite decide how you feel. Questions constantly circle your head, but you can’t get that person out of your mind.

It’s the beginning of a new relationship – something completely new. It is truly beautiful, and you wish you could stay in this phase forever.

In these first few weeks, you try to figure out the other person. What is acceptable, what are their pet peeves? What do they do for fun, what is their favorite food?

As you spend more time together, you start to figure more out without asking questions. You discover if they are driven or goal oriented or passionate. You realize if you get along or if you are compatible. Maybe you find out you have nothing in common.

During this time, you look nice around this person, you eat properly, always mind your manners, and don’t let your full personality fly.

However – as the new relationship wears off and you start to question where it is actually going, ask yourself if this person is someone you can be with.

How do you know if you’ve found a good person?

If you find someone who makes an effort to see you consistently, you have a good person. Don’t fall for the person who just makes time when it is convenient and fits their schedule only. Someone who truly wants to be with you will make time for you.

In addition, if this person makes an effort to ask you how you are, or how your day is going, chances are they are a good person. If they genuinely care about your well being, don’t pass them over – that doesn’t happen with every person.

Don’t go for the person who doesn’t reply to you when you ask them a question. Don’t choose the person who pushes you to the side or tells you that your opinion is irrelevant. Don’t choose the person who acts different around their friends, or the person who struggles taking no for answer.

Fall for the person who sees you before class on Monday morning, and still smiles when they see you. Choose the one who makes sure you get to bed on a Saturday night.

If you have a person who enjoys just doing homework with you, or that wants to watch you do what you are passionate about, you have a good person.

If you have a person who treats you like a priority, but still lets you be yourself with your own interests, take a moment to appreciate them before you make a decision on the next step.

Don’t settle, but don’t let a good person go because you are scared of something new.

Take risks and be yourself.