15 Signs Your Relationship Won't Last
Trying cohabitation? Here are signs that things might not last.
getty When you're in a relationship, there's no denying that you want it to last. But there are definite clues to how successful your coupling with be, and many of the signs show themselves almost immediately. You just have to pay attention.
Here are the signs your relationship won't last:
1. You're smarter than your partner.
We know many studies have shown that men are intimidated by smart women. And intelligent women would never waste their time with a guy who isn't intellectually stimulating.
2. He's immature
No guy completely grows up, but a passionate interest in something truly juvenile will wear on you eventually, if not immediately. Immaturity in a partner shows itself in many aspects of your relationship and will certainly cause its demise.
3. Differing opinions on who cooks and what you eat
If s/he's not accepting of the fact that you will not ever cook for him/her, and especially not a steak if you're a vegan, your relationship is well-done and charred.
4. You both start slacking on your hygiene
You discover skid marks on his underwear or witness him picking his nose without shame, while you also haven't bothered to shave your legs in four months or wear anything but your worst underwear in front of him.
5. Vacationing without each other
This is OK in the beginning or even months into a relationship, but once you've been a couple a while and she suddenly wants to use her precious vacation time (not to mention money) to travel with her girls to Las Vegas, be warned: She's probably weeks away from announcing she hates you. Ditto on when he announces he's going backpacking with his best friend Tommy in Peru.
6. TV in the bedroom
No matter who decides to buy the flat-screen and install it directly across from where "the magic happens," TV in the bedroom is an instant mood killer, both sexually and mentally.
7. Having kids (or disagreeing on whether you should)
If you can't agree on whether to have kids, that's a major dealbreaker. But be warned procreators! "Once you have them, your sex life is over," says Susie, a mom. "Sorry. I speak from experience."
8. Using the bathroom in each other's presence
Separate bathrooms, or at least separate bathroom schedules, are key to a successful relationship. "The one thing in their relationships that all of my divorced friends have in common," explains one of our writers, "Is that they regularly had their morning pee in the bathroom while their significant other was brushing their teeth. Don't do it, ladies. Maintain a little mystery."
9. King-size beds
Even if you go to bed mad, something about a forced snuggle in a small bed is like an unspoken "you're forgiven" and allows everything bad between you to dissolve away. A king-size mattress lets the tension rest comfortably between you and a fight can go on for days.
10. Lying to your friends about your relationship
"I always know a relationship is doomed when I start telling my friends only part of the story about a squabble with my man," says Kelly. "I need the release of the confession, but by not telling the whole truth, I'm leaving out the part that would make my friends scream 'He's not right for you!'" Chances are, you've probably already judged his actions yourself and are scared of your friends telling you what you already know – that you deserve better.
11. One of you expresses interest in bringing other people into the bedroom
No matter what he says, having sex with you AND another person/people is really just an excuse for him to be with someone new. Period. "Let me tell you what happened when my boyfriend and I had a threesome," warns Jessie. "In the throes of passion, it was clear he was much more interested in what she had to offer. After we broke up, they started dating. They did break up, however, so apparently threesomes are the kiss of death for the couple AND the guest star."
12. A drastic change in appearance
Many times after a breakup, a woman will chop off her hair or dye it a radical color. If she does it while she's in a relationship, she's sending her guy a message: "I don't give a damn whether you think my ears look too big with a pixie cut."
13. Masturbation frequency increases
We are very pro-masturbation. Alone? Go for it. Giving him a show? GREAT! He's sick in bed and you just watched that hot love scene on Netflix? Why not?! But if having an orgasm with yourself has replaced one with him, that's no good, sister.
14. Mama's boy or daddy's little girl vibes
If either one of you respects the opinion of a parent more than the opinion of your significant other, you're headed for trouble. "When my boyfriend would call up his mother and ask her for her advice on work, money matters, and, seriously, even what to wear to Easter brunch, I realized he was never going to value my opinion as much or more than hers," says Lisa.
15. "Oops, I mean ..." moments
She or he calling you by the ex's name outside of the bedroom is a reason to be alarmed. Though, if it happens inside the bedroom, you should probably just forget you ever met.
Amelia McDonell-Parry is a writer, reporter and editor with over 16 years of experience in digital, print and broadcast media, She covers crime and criminal justice reform, pop culture and television, relationships.