A new relationship is always exciting. When you meet someone new and feel like maybe it's true love, the compulsion to throw yourself at them and say "Let's get married!" can be overwhelming.

If you run head-first into a serious relationship then all you're doing is setting yourself up for a hard relationship and an even harder break up later on. I have made that mistake several times. You would not believe the regret I have felt over rushing into romance. I even left the biggest love of my life on a whim because I was so sure I loved someone else, only to find out that we were not compatible in the least.

Keeping your head above water is definitely tough, but hopefully through my experiences I can help others keep afloat.

Even if the new feeling in your heart might feel like love you need to keep in mind that it might not really be love.

Webster states that to infatuate is:

1 : to cause to be foolish : deprive of sound judgment

2 : to inspire with a foolish or extravagant love or admiration

And what you feel could very well be a simple infatuation. Saying an infatuation is simple isn't quite right. Being infatuated can feel very much like the real thing, even up to losing your appetite. You need to hold tight until you are absolutely sure. The time will come -- within one week, a few weeks, one month, two months -- when you really know: "This person is the one for me."

It's hard to say no when you feel those flutterings in your heart. You will say yes to things you never thought you would before and be happy about it. Hold your own. Keep your beliefs and your likes on hand and do not hide them. It's hard to say something that you know the person you have feelings for might not like, but they probably feel the same as you and are willing to please.

Opening up a line of communication is very important from the get-go so you know whether the two of you would get along long term, as either friends or lovers. Letting the other person know what you like and dislike as well as asking them about their own preferences keeps things in perspective. You need to know whether or not the two of you are truly compatible, and showing your true self and asking them to show theirs gets the ball rolling.

I can't tell you to not have sex because everyone has their own reasons for having it. It is most tempting when you first get into a relationship with someone, but jumping right into it can cloud your judgment about whether the relationship is worth it or not.

There is no denying that sex is an important part of any romantic relationship but starting it off as the main attraction will most likely set you up for disappointment later. If the person is determined about having sex as soon as possible, then they are probably not looking for a real relationship.

For teenagers this is a big subject because they feel like it will make them more like adults, which is simply not the case. Having sex as soon as possible with someone you think you have real feelings for rarely ever works out in the end, for teenagers or adults.

If you are trying to build a meaningful relationship out of a new one and get too ahead of yourself then you are walking on thin ice. I can not stress how important it is to stay logical and take a good look at yourself and the other person. If nothing clicks in that look then dragging it out is just going to end in pain.

If you want a real, meaningful relationship moving too fast is only going to hinder you personally. Keep your chin up and head high and you can beat the current.