If you’re anything like me, you probably went through a series of catastrophic dating fails in 2017. From stalkers who can’t handle rejection to emotionally unavailable narcissists with serious mommy issues, the attraction that many of us women continue to have for these not sh*t men is quite alarming. I know firsthand that it can be difficult to try to wean yourself off of these typical f*ckboy archetypes, especially when they initially seem normal like they’re not trying to ruin your life and put you through another bout of trauma and relationship PTSD. But we need to do better, ladies. Here are four ways to make sure we don’t fall for the same douchebags in 2018.
1. Listen To Your Friends
If all of your friends collectively despise the guy you’re dating, 9 times out of 10, they have a point. It’s better to get an outside perspective because when you’re really into someone, it can be difficult to look past your emotions and see them for the d*ckheads they really are. And sis, how many times are they going to have to give you the same advice before you actually take it?
2. Stop Giving Them Too Many Chances
Obviously, you’re going to give a potential f*ckboy a few chances to prove that he might not be a d*ck. That’s fine, that’s normal, and we’ve all been there because we’re always hoping for things to work out. But if you’re constantly making excuses for his bad behavior, then you need to let it go. And if you find yourself going back to your friends and repeating the same narrative about another d*ck move that he’s pulled on you, that’s also a sign he’s probably not going to change anytime soon and you need to move on. Plus, you don’t want to exhaust your resources. Your friends are there to help and give you advice, but at some point, they’re going to get fed up of hearing about the 9th time your douchebag promoter boyfriend ditched you at the club by yourself.
3. Date Around
The easiest way to become obsessed with a f*ckboy is to limit your options and not date around. Download Tinder, Bumble, Grindr, IDGAF. Just make sure you’re seeing other people so that you know what’s out there and what others might potentially have to offer you.
4. Make Your Expectations Clear
The biggest dating fails to stem from two people not being on the same page about what they want. Are you looking for a relationship or just a consistent FWB? Are you into open relationships or are you strictly monogamous? You need to be clear about your intentions, otherwise, someone’s going to wind up getting hurt. That way, you won’t end up 6 months deep into a situations with a guy who’s only looking for a weekly booty call.