Discover what makes a good relationship and how to ask someone out…
Looking for a boyfriend or got a crush on the girl next door? Wherever you’re at, we’re here to help you work out whether your love interest could make a great partner. Look for someone who:
- You feel comfortable with and who likes you for who you truly are. It’s important you can be yourself.
- You can trust.
- Doesn’t pressure you into doing anything you don’t want to do.
- Is kind, sensitive and respectful to your feelings.
Meeting Someone
There are lots of ways you could meet a potential new partner. You might meet someone at school or start chatting to a new neighbour and feel a spark of interest. If you’re struggling to meet someone, why not try joining a club or taking up a new hobby? Who knows who you could meet at the skate park as you try out your new board for the first time…?
Meeting Someone Online
You might have started chatting to someone online. While this may feel exciting, it can be dangerous. The person might not be who they say they are and want to cause you harm or take advantage of you. Never ever arrange to meet up with a stranger online. Be very careful who you befriend on social media. Make a simple rule of not accepting friend requests from people you’ve never met in real-life. A profile picture may seem perfectly innocent and show a teenager who looks a lot like you, but you never know who could be behind the account. Tell an adult if someone online asks you to meet up in person.
Get more advice on staying safe online here.
Take It Slow
Get to know the object of your affection before you launch into asking them out. You can ask your crush to hang out with you to try to get to know them better first. You can also chat over text or FaceTime to get a better idea of how they might be feeling – and to figure out just how much you like them. You might find that as you spend more time with them, your feelings change, and that’s OK. You could decide that you’d rather just be friends, or you might start to feel even stronger emotions for them. Taking it slow is important, it’s best to avoid planning on moving out when you’re 16 or any extreme reactions like that. You have plenty of time and so does the relationship.
Asking Someone Out
Finding a romantic partner is never as easy as it looks in the movies. Asking someone out can be incredibly nerve-wracking. Wait for a quiet moment and be as cool and calm as you can. Keep it simple – ask something like, “I really like your company and wonder if you’d like to hang out or go out on a date with me?” By being straightforward, there’s less chance of any confusion.
Try to be confident but brace yourself for possible rejection. The other person may prefer to stay friends or doesn’t see you in a romantic way and while this can hurt, it’s ultimately their choice. It can help to have a reply in mind, should you have to deal with a knock-back. You could say breezily, “Hey, that’s OK! I’m happy to stay friends.”
If you feel too vulnerable to ask them out on a date, why not invite them along to a group outing? It’s less pressure on you – and them – plus you still to get to spend time with them and have fun. Win-win!
For more tips and advice on relationships, click here.
