"You look absolutely stunning."

"You want me to grab you a bagel before your next class?"

"You seem upset, what's bothering you?"

"Hey, babe, do you need any help with that?"

Gosh, every time I hear any of that come out of my boyfriend's mouth, I just go bananas. These are just some of the things that a guy should be telling/asking you on the daily — especially if you're in a serious relationship.

I am seriously so lucky to have found someone that actually treats me the way I deserve to be treated. And no I am not saying this to brag, I really do appreciate him and I want EVERY. SINGLE. GIRL. to have this type of feeling towards someone and to have it reciprocated back. Relationships are tricky and they can break you into a million little pieces in a split second.

So, ladies, you have to be smart, trust your girls, trust your mama, and trust your instincts. You are a beautiful and precious form of life and no guy should have any power over you.

I'm only at the fragile age of 20 years old, so, of course, I feel as if I should be single and partying my face off every single weekend. And, of course, I sometimes want to feel that exciting and wild first stages of dating a new guy again. But those feelings are rare. Because there is nothing quite like adventuring to foreign places holding his hand, cooking and baking for 3 hours straight together, having deep talks in the middle of the night by his side, waking up with no makeup and feeling 100% beautiful, and staying in on a Friday night with no care in the world with the man that has your heart.

A relationship can give you reassurance and stability like no other. A healthy relationship helps you face your darkest of fears, it empowers you to be able to DREAM BIG, it can help you feel absolutely unstoppable and confident, and it can change your whole life for the better.There's something so beautiful but dangerous about falling in love at a young age. To help you not fall into the trap of a destructive relationship and to guide you into a sea of happiness and love, I have created a checklist that you can consider when you're at the "I-think-he's-boyfriend-material" stage (:

1. He listens more than he talks

When a guy asks you questions and genuinely listens, you can really tell. You feel heard and safe. If a guy can't keep his eyes off his phone or take the time to sit down and have a heart to heart every so often, it's time to give him the boot.

2. He makes sure that you're taken care of first

This means that your man should be considerate and thoughtful. Chivalry is NOT dead. Not on my watch at least. If he can't take his time to give you a call, open the door for you, send you flowers once in a while, treat you to a nice dinner, then that's a warning. He needs to be able to invest in you, emotionally, mentally, and physically. And maybe a little bit of financially too. It's important especially in the beginning of a relationship but also once it's in the more sustainable and mature stage.

3. He does his best to make you happy

You can tell when a guy wants nothing but to see you happy and smiling 24/7. They carry themselves with high standards because he wouldn't want to let you down. A guy who supports your dreams and tries to resolve any conflict as soon as possible is a man who deserves your love.

4. He is patient with you and respects your choices/decisions

If you want a good man, you need to feel that your decisions and choices are respected. If you decide that you don't want to be sexually physical with him until you've been dating for two months or even one year, then he better respect that. If you want to become a vegetarian and he loves burgers, then he better be looking up recipes for veggie burgers. A guy who's willing to compromise because you made a different choice than him is a team player. And we girls love a team player!

5. He doesn't give you the feeling of insecurity

When a guy treats you the same and doesn't make any judgments when you have your face mask on, hair up, and grandma sweater on, then he's a keeper. I need a guy who makes me feel totally comfortable and myself around and I think every girl wants the same. We already have to play so many different roles in our lives so when we can just strip off the facade and be our raw and acne-blemished selves around a guy, that means we are 100% at peace. And that my friend, is a happy place to be.

6. He wants to better himself for you and the relationship

"Progress means success" I adore this quote by Anthony Robbins. It can translate well into any area of our lives. A successful relationship is one that keeps growing and maturing. It's never going to be perfect, but it can be successful. As long as you both are willing you talk and work through hardship and problems--- there will be endless amounts of beautiful and memories ahead.

Yes. Falling in love in college might not be the right cup of tea for everybody because it is tough and it comes with some sacrifices. But having someone that you can grow and experience college with is something that is priceless. Before you go out looking for the man of your dreams, there's just one really important thing you need to do. That one very important and crucial thing is to...

Always love yourself first. Don't try to get into a relationship until you fully adore and respect yourself. Nobody is more important than that gorgeous face smiling back at you in the mirror.

Thank you so much for reading.

xox

Bella