10 Ways Couples Act Differently During Early vs. Late Stages of Dating
You might not think about it much, but how you were during the early stages of your relationship is very different from how you are now, after years of being together with your partner. The way we act when we're with someone new is really interesting! Let's explore 10 of these differences together and see how many you agree with.
1. Planning Dates - Early Stages
When you're just starting out in a new relationship, every date feels like an important one. It feels like you have to make a good impression by dressing up nicely, plan a creative date, and say all the right words. There's definitely some nerves in the air as you two try to feel each other out and get comfortable.
1. Planning Dates - Long-term
After you've been with the same person for a long time, date nights are still incredibly important and need to happen so that you can maintain a healthy relationship. But dates will definitely look rather different; things are a lot more relaxed, easy, and can be as simple as ordering in takeout and watching your favourite show at home together.
2. Communication - Early Stages
At the very beginning, you're likely feeling a lot of butterflies in your stomach and a constant need to talk to them during every moment of the day. A lot of texting is likely to take place during these early stages, not to mention a couple of flirty emojis and texts that display your strong interest.
2. Communication - Long-term
Once initial hot and heavy feelings subside, your texts and messages with your partner will likely die down and become more friendly and casual. You'll see more, "Can you pick up something for me?" or "What do you want to grab for dinner" type of texts, not to mention a lot of meme sharing.
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3. Meeting the Family - Early Stages
If there's one thing that really scares people when dating someone new, it's having to meet their family. It can often feel like you have to pass this test or else things won't work out! It's certainly a nerve-wracking next step that involves a lot of anxiety and mental preparation.
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3. Meeting the Family - Long-term
Once you've met your partner's family numerous times across many years, they might start to feel like your own. You'll be so comfortable, those nerves you initially felt? Gone! If you're lucky, seeing them will be like seeing an old group of friends every time.
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4. Handling Silence - Early Stages
When you're just first starting out, experiencing moments of silence might feel a bit awkward. You might feel a need to fill it immediately with conversation or a joke. That's simply because the two of you aren't comfortable enough with each other yet and are still working on getting there.
4. Handling Silence - Long-term
You can always tell if you're truly comfortable with someone if you can handle long periods of silence. If you're okay, or even enjoy, moments of quiet with your partner, it's a solid sign that you're in a secure and healthy relationship. It means you don't have to act a certain way or do something to make you both feel comfortable - just your presence is soothing and relaxing enough.
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5. Celebrating Anniversaries - Early Stages
Anniversaries are huge when you're still in the early stages of your new relationship. It's all about big surprises, expensive presents, grand gestures, and making sure you both celebrate the day to its utmost potential. After all, early anniversaries will feel like huge milestones!
5. Celebrating Anniversaries - Long-term
After you've already celebrated several early anniversaries together, the future ones might have a different feel to them. Instead of making some huge gesture to express your love, these special days will feel a bit more toned down and more about the meaning rather than the price tag. It can be as simple a cooking a meal for your loved one - it's more about the meaning behind the action!
6. Dressing Up - Early Stages
Making a good impression might always be on your mind when dating a new partner. It's all about looking good, smelling good, and giving off the right vibe. That's why during your early dates, you might put a lot of effort into picking out the perfect outfit, spending much more time than you normally do.
6. Dressing Up - Long-term
But after a while, that desire to dress up nicely for every single date eventually fades. You may have initially prioritized style and fashion, but it'll quickly transform into comfort. Eventually, you'll get to a point when even sweatpants, old t-shirts, and messy hair become the norm!
7. Problem Solving - Early Stages
Everyone's biggest fear when in a new relationship is wondering when the first big fight is going to happen. Arguments are inevitable in relationships, but what matters is how you deal with it. At the very beginning, you may feel hesitant to truly discuss how you're feeling because you're scared you'll ruin things. In a way, you're still just testing the waters at the start, learning about what works or doesn't work for the two of you when problem solving.
7. Problem Solving - Long-term
After dealing with a couple more conflicts and some more time together, you'll likely learn what the best way to approach arguments is. It's different from person to person, and the best way to learn is from experience. If you both work together, you'll definitely find a way that works for the two of you.
8. Eating Habits - Early Stages
It's pretty funny, but many people put a lot of care into thinking about what to eat during dates. Thinking about which foods are too messy, might leave stains, or might be too hard to eat, is something everyone goes through. After all, you don't want to look unattractive or unappealing to your new partner by making a mess or eating weirdly!
8. Eating Habits - Long-term
But once things have died down and the relationship has relaxed into something much more comfortable, who cares about what you eat! Messy foods, comfort foods, adventurous foods, they're all on the table!
9. Adventure and Comfort Zones - Early Stages
When you're still testing the waters with one another and learning about your likes and dislikes together as a couple, you'll likely be a lot more adventurous and spontaneous at the start. It's all about exploring new things together, and during these early stages, you have a much stronger willingness to participate in that.
9. Adventure and Comfort Zones - Long-Term
Once you both discover which activities you like doing together the most, that's when comfort and familiarity come into play. While it's not to say you two won't welcome new experiences, there's a definitely a much deeper appreciate for sharing pastimes that you both enjoy.
10. Pet Names - Early Stages
The early stages of your relationship is the best time to explore cute couple names or cheesy pet nicknames. So if you want to play around with what works, now's the time to do it!
10. Pet Names - Long-term
As time passes by, you'll find that while some pet names might stick, most will definitely fade or become less used. You'll discover what nicknames work for you (if any at all), and you'll grow accustomed to what you're already familiar with and find affectionate.
