Most typical, real life love stories are written about high school sweethearts staying together after high school, having children and growing old together. Everyone seems to crave this picture-perfect life but doesn't know what it's really like to be in a serious relationship at such a young age. So to give you a taste of what it's like, here are the pros and cons of being in a serious relationship at 17.

Pros

1. You go through high school with your best friend.

I will be the first to admit that my boyfriend is also my best friend. I do everything with him, including gossip. And knowing that I get to tackle the stress of high school with him makes me happy.

2. You get to plan your futures together.

We can all agree high school is stressful, but deciding what you want to do for the rest of your life and what college you want to go to is even more difficult. Being in a relationship makes planning your college career and future lives more fun and less terrifying.

3. You always have someone to hang out with.

If you're antisocial, like me, then I'm sure you can appreciate this pro. No one wants to go to winter formals, prom, football games or school functions without someone. My days of going places alone are over thanks to my loving boyfriend and his tolerance for everything I do.

4. You accomplish your goals with the person you love.

I'm normally the first to turn down something sappy, but I have to say that accomplishing your goals with someone you love simply feels better than accomplishing them alone. Knowing that I Aced my trig tests because the guy I love helped me study made getting an A in that class so much better.

5. You go through the awkward stage together.

High school isn't what it's made to be in the movies. You actually do have break outs and awkward stages despite what television conveys to us. Thankfully, my boyfriend has already seen the worst parts of all my awkwardness.

6. You have forever to look forward to.

The truth about relationships is that it's either going to end in a break up, or you're going to marry that person. When you're in a serious relationship, you don't anticipate breaking up; all you do is think of all the memories you're going to make with the person you love in all the years to come.

Cons

1. Everyone around you voices their unwanted doubts.

I have experienced this countless times and, shamefully, have even done it in a past serious relationship. Most people who have a negative opinion about young relationships say that you're too young to know what love is. No matter how many times you hear this, don't let it discourage you and the person you love.

2. You might lose some friends.

This was certainly a problem with me when I entered my first serious relationship in high school. I spent most of my time with my boyfriend, and a few of my friends decided they didn't want to be friends because they felt excluded. A life lesson I've learned is that if they were a true friend, they would've understood my situation.

3. Social media complicates relationships.

There's no doubt that drama is created from social media, especially by younger people. Someone likes the wrong person's picture and suddenly there's a fight. Social media can definitely complicate a young couple's relationship, but if you stay committed, then there's no doubt that everything will work out.

4. Someone has to leave for college.

This very topic has ruined many relationships my friends were in. Leaving for college can put distance and anxiety into your relationship, which can drive two people apart. I used to always worry about how my relationship would suffer during college, but luckily for me, my boyfriend and I are going to the same college.

Every relationship has their ups and downs and I wouldn't want to have ups or downs with anyone else but my high school sweetheart.