When entering high school one of the first things I was told by upperclassmen was do not date in high school. They give you all these reasons such as you all will go to different colleges, focus on your grades, you can have all the fun you want in college, and so on. The younger version of me was thinking duh, boys and relationships are dumb anyways. Then I grew up just a little. I realized that you really should expect the unexpected. So what happens when do you date in high school? What happens if you actually fall in love? In the mix of it, you might think you've found your high school sweetheart but when it's over, it's over.

High school is a larger mixture of people than in elementary and middle school. As the years go on you are exposed to so many types of people, foreign exchange students, and students that transferred in from different schools. In that sea of people, you're bound to find someone you share a common attraction with. As you get to know that person the connection and feelings become stronger. Then the idea of actually dating them may cross your mind. But wait, everyone just told you do not date in high school! In a lot of cases, people may tell you not to date a certain person. They will tell you all these stories, true and false, tell you all their flaws, and tell you how they did this person and that person wrong. They are trying to protect you but one thing I've learned is there is more to a person than all the gossip and rumors. If you take a chance with this person, the outcome is 50/50. There could be so many memories and traditions made, secrets shared that you've never shared with anyone else, moments that could never be recreated. Sneaking around to see each other, staying up all night on the phone, going to places you've never been, meeting all their friends and blending them into yours, even meeting their family and trying to learn everything about them that you can. This person could become your best friend. Somewhere in this, you may fall in love. I believe they call it falling in love for a reason because once you fall, you keep falling which then leads to a literal downfall.

With all the good, of course, there is bad. In any relationship there may be jealousy, miscommunication, possessiveness, lying, deceitfulness, cheating, and more. Some people will be in a relationship for so long and be absolutely miserable. But you're in love with this person, you cannot let go so you keep trying and trying. You keep trying until you've had every argument in the world, every heart to heart, and every night of simply crying out of frustration. You keep trying until it's taken everything out of you. You keep trying until enough is enough. What happens if your best friend becomes someone you don't even know or understand anymore? This causes for that heart-wrenching break up you don't want to go through but you know you have to do. Some break ups can be quick and easy and some can take so long and be so draining that you start to think you might as well stay with the person. As much as you may love someone there comes a time where you have to put yourself before them for once and think about what is best for you.

When it’s all said and done, dating in high school can be one of the best and worst things for you. While there’s a huge possibility it will end, it’s all a learning experience. You learn what you like and what you don’t like, you learn how to deal with someone on a more personal and intimate level, you learn how to pick the right fights, and you learn how to love someone. Maybe the problem with these relationships is that we often forget to love ourselves. While love is about compromise, we get so wrapped up in making our significant other feel great that we often compromise too many of our wants and needs. A relationship should be 50/50 between two people but it should also be 50/50 between you and yourself; 50% loving that special someone and 50% loving another special someone, yourself.