How Quickly Most People Say 'I Love You,' According To Research
How long does it take to fall in love?
Bernardo Emanuelle/ Shutterstock The cool breezes of autumn may have you looking for something a bit more human than a pillow to snuggle with, after all a pillow can't hold you.
There's nothing like the cold weather to make you try to seek the warmth of another person, and maybe even a good conversationist.
As you may soon start the hunt for fall romance or continue with your current relationship, a survey has a few tips to share on when you should be falling in love with someone.
Most romantic comedies (or a good episode of How I Met Your Mother) would have you think that saying "I love you" too early in a relationship can send your partner heading for the hills.
We've all seen it, one character has been all in with their relationship since day one and says it, and the other character, that doesn't know the intensity of their feelings, panics and runs away, leaving us to oooh and ahhh at the romantic gesture they have to pull off to ultimately win back their one true love.
But a 2017 U.K. survey revealed that 22 percent of people like to wait at least two-three months before confessing their love.
However, about 3% of respondents let the L-word loose within one week of meeting someone. Must have been one heck of a first date, or maybe they're just really rich. It takes me an even shorter amount of time, as I'll say I love you to any cute stranger I see in a coffee shop.
Meanwhile, 11 percent will only say it after the first six months. This seems like a reasonable amount of time, unless of course, the person you're dating has no idea the two of you are together.
About 10% of the respondents in the survey say they've never told someone they love them romantically. Do they just have really high standards or has no one stuck around with them long enough to get to that point?
It should be noted that the participants in this study are in the age group of 18-24, which seems pretty young to be in a serious relationship, so don't fret if you're comparing yourself to these numbers, you have plenty of time to find someone who loves you.
So what does that mean for you? Well, for one, maybe hold off on saying those three important words until you actually feel like you're in love. Otherwise, you could be sending the wrong message to your new beau, or they might say it back and now you're stuck dating a psychopath.
Kait Smith is an editor, writer, social media manager, and blogger who writes about the rules of love and relationships.