36 The Teen Survival Guide to Dating and Relating
encourages you to look for what you want. This, in turn, helps you see the
potential in situations and take advantage of opportunities that may result in
new friendships... or even love.LOOKING FOR LOVE
By now, you’re responsible enough to leave the house alone, meet friends, and
go places with them, and being independent like this is pretty cool (after all, it
wasn’t so long ago that you couldn’t go anywhere without adult supervision).
Maybe you love your freedom and independence, and you’re not on the look-
out for a romantic relationship. If so, being “single” isn’t a problem for you,
and in fact, you may love it.
But for some teens, being single isa major problem. Maybe you feel lonely
and incomplete without a boyfriend/girlfriend, or as if something’s missing
from your life. If this sounds like you, you’re probably wondering when you’ll
finally meet that special someone. Maybe you spend a lot of time dreaming
about and searching for love.
Many teens (and preteens) spend a lotof energy obsessing about falling in
love. Teens who constantly talk about how they needa bf/gf may be feeling pres-
sured from articles in teen magazines or images on TV and in movies. Some
young people believe they’ll be cooler or more accepted if they’re in a romantic
relationship, and some just want a bf/gf because other people have one.
What most teens reallyneed are opportunities to develop healthy friend-
ships with girls and guys. If you think friends aren’t as important as
boyfriends/girlfriends, you’re wrong! Friendships, in the long run, are often
more meaningful and lasting than romantic relationships. You’re probably
more relaxed, open, and trusting with your friends, because you know and
understand each other well, and the bond between you is strong. Romantic rela-
tionships, on the other hand, may be based more on physical attraction than
common interests. Sometimes it’s hard for young people in such relationships
to build trust.
What’s all this leading up to? If you have a boyfriend/girlfriend, be sure to
still make time for your friends (not to mention your family and yourself).