A Column By BRENDAN HALL
As the weather changes from chilly to charming and the season of love approaches, couples spring up from the earth and spread like wildfire. However, with every new relationship that blossoms from the depths of winter, there is a guy waiting to screw it up.
But with this column, girl worries will be a thing of the past, and any average Joe can transform himself into an instant Casanova. From gifts to dates and everything in between, these simple pointers will help a guy stay with his significant other after the season of love has faded.
Flirting has long been a problem for guys, but with the boom in technology over the recent decade, men have been able to be sneakier and more elusive in the ways they do it. From Facebook chat to texting to Twitter, there is an endless stream of technology available that is easily erased.
Guys have been taking advantage of all the technology available and flirting relentlessly without consequence. However, even though much of the information is not saved, it is still out there and will come back around.
Flirty texts or secret conversations often get blown out of context and can lead to fights and trust issues. One simple screw-up can create a cloud of doubt over a relationship that will end up destroying it.
The simple solution is to just be honest and stop weaseling around under the blanket of technology. Just remember to keep it real, keep it open and keep it simple.
One of the biggest parts of preserving a relationship is something that would seem instinctive, but always tends to slip through the cracks, is listening. It is both the most essential and the most overlooked part of any relationship and is both a man’s biggest weapon and his biggest weakness.
Every time the word “listen” is brought up in the context of relationships, every male in a five-mile radius lets out a collective “Ugh,” but the fact of the matter is that listening
is vital. It allows guys to pick up on hints that seem unimportant and regularly get lost in casual conversation.
By always paying attention, important bits of information can be picked up and put to good use later: gift ideas, unknown pet peeves, date ideas, etc. Guys spend countless hours searching for the perfect gift, asking her friend what she wants, when the answer has been in front of them the entire time. Boyfriends simply need to utilize the power of listening, as painful as it may be.
The most vital component of any long-term relationship though is keeping it interesting. The reason people date in the first place is so they can share a unique experience with a person that they otherwise would not be able to while single. For a lot of couples, after months or years the relationship becomes routine and there is nothing unique about it.
Couples who lack any excitement are a ticking time bomb. Eventually, one of the people involved will refuse to carry on and either end the relationship abruptly or drag it on while finding excitement elsewhere, both of which are horrible solutions that will inevitably end in failure.
If the relationship ever reaches that point, the most intelligent solution for the couple would be to break up.
A great way to keep things exciting is to explore new places on dates: go to a new restaurant, hang out at a park nobody has ever heard of or just go for a drive.
Another way to prevent the relationship from becoming lackluster is to pick up a hobby together. Activities such as geocaching or outdoor sports combine the best of both worlds by providing a hobby and allowing the couple to explore new areas and people.
Whatever the solution, both the guy and the girl need to make an effort to find similar interests and explore them, otherwise the relationship will become excruciating to continue. Nothing is worse than a couple that cannot stand each other but absolutely refuses to break up.
So, as spring turns to summer and then to fall and the luster of new relationships wither, guys need to be sure this article is in their backpocket. By following these guidelines, any man can become a permanent Prince Charming and make sure the season of love lasts forever.