Dating is hard. Don’t listen to all of the high school sweethearts who tell you otherwise. It’s hard.
You meet a great guy but he doesn’t think you’re so great. You meet a lame guy and he maddeningly pursues you. You meet a guy who likes you and whom you think you could be with long-term, but then one of you moves away and you have to start all over.
No matter where your dating journey takes you, just remember to avoid these guys:
- Jerks. No, not the generic jerk. We’re talking the kind of guy that made the jerk an actual genre of man. He doesn’t care about your feelings, says insensitive things to you, your family, and your friends with no regard for the consequences, and he’s an ass to his coworkers. Think about when someone’s behaving like a jerk. An actual jerk is that way all the time.
- Druggies. Sorry, but unless you’re also a druggie, this relationship doesn’t work. His addiction is his priority, and even if he doesn’t pressure you into joining him, you still have to be the Sober Sally while he’s high. He’ll probably annoy you with his speeches about why his drug of choice should be legal and never do any research on counterpoints to broaden his horizons and, you know, be able to carry an educated conversation without getting defensive.
- Deadbeats. It’s one thing to be tight on money and admit that you can’t afford to drive to the city because stopping for gas is going to tug on your budget. It’s another problem when he takes you there anyway, expecting you to cover the gas bill. Then he asks you to pay for dinner. And for his groceries. And he’s short on his phone bill.
- Stuck-Ups. He’s pretentious and wants you to know that he’s smarter than you. His family is better than yours, too, and he’s in better shape than you. He considers himself Mr. Wonderful and if you aren’t a good enough trophy for him on a given week then he’ll replace you with a new one.
- Downers. You consider yourself a pretty upbeat person but he’s always got a reason for you to feel unhappy. It’s the anniversary of your dogs death, or the veggie you’re eating is a GMO product and who knows if that’s good for you or not, or the tacos you bought for lunch went up $2 from the last time you ate there. He will change your perspective for the worst, bringing you down with him.
- Workout Addicts. If you’re big into going on runs and CrossFit and not indulging in bad-for-you foods then you and him might get along. Otherwise, if he’s truly addicted, he will endlessly judge you for your lack of discipline in all facets of life, he’ll make getting fit a priority over spending quality time with you, and he’ll brag. He’ll brag a lot.
- Mismatches. Dating someone who isn’t your end goal is fine if you’re honest about it. But if you’re looking for a long-term guy then remember that someone who KNOWS he doesn’t want kids cant be forced into wanting kids, and that someone who doesn’t understand how to keep a space clean won’t necessarily ever grow into a person who is super organized, if that’s who YOU happen to be.
