It’s officially the most wonderful time of the year—the most wonderful time for romance, that is. You kissed under the mistletoe, snuggled by the fireside, had a sweet holiday gift exchange and rang in the New Year side by side by side by side… ahh, young love. But wait—what happens now? Will your winter romance last when winter break ends? Smitten collegiettes, here’s how to tell if your winter fling will last past January.
1. You’re attached at the hip
It’s one thing to be involved with each other, but when you both just can’t get enough of each other—that’s a whole other level. If he’s texting you on the reg asking to hang out, he’s becoming attached to you (which makes sense—you’re awesome).
“Even if he’s not your perfect guy on paper, if he wants to see you and you want to see him, that’s all you need,” says New-York-City-based love coach Lindsay Chrisler. And when you’re able to make time for each other even in the midst of the crazy family get-togethers? Chances are this cutie’s not going anywhere when the new semester rolls around.
2. You’ve already said “I love you” to each other
There’s never a 100 percent guarantee he’s not going anywhere, but if you’ve both fallen in love (sometimes, it happens fast!), the chances of him darting out once you’re both back in school is very low. You’d pretty much have to chuck Christmas cookies at his face and scream something about how much hotter Santa is than him for him to break things off with you (and for the record, we don’t recommend you doing that).
3. He bought you a Christmas present
If you guys are less serious than uttering the “L” word (and if you are, that perfectly okay, FYI), this is an easy way to tell if your guy’s really into you. Even if it’s something small, the fact that he went out of his way to buy you something means he thinks you’re pretty amazing. Remember, we ladies aren’t easy to shop for. Plus, the holidays are already stressful, so if your dude tried his best to conjure up the perfect present, you know he’s probably not going to ditch you the second he re-enters the college world.
4. He introduces you to his family
So he’s invited you to hang with his fam over the holidays. This is a great sign. Think about it—if you planned on breaking up with your guy, would you invite him to meet your folks? We didn’t think so. So plan a killer outfit and meet his mom, dad, crazy uncle and spastic little sister. You’ll want to give a great impression, because you’re probably going to be around for a while.
5. You just have a good gut feeling
It may sound a little clichéd, but sometimes, trusting your senses is the best way to foresee what this romance holds in store for you.
“Your mind may want to convince you he’s in for the long haul, yet your gut, your instincts, your intuition, your belly will get either soft, calm, open and relaxed if he’s a great fit for your life, or it will get heavy, contracted, nervous and anxious if he’s just a fling,” says Allana Pratt, an intimacy expert and host of Intimate Conversations LIVE. “Learn to slow down, listen and trust your knowing.”
While you can never be absolutely positive that you and your man are going to be together forever, there are ways to measure the seriousness of your relationship. But keep in mind, collegiettes, that worrying about the future of your love life is forever futile.
“Ignore imperfections,” Chrisler says. “Ignore off days where communication just isn’t going well. Ignore what your friends think, what the rule books tell you and all the ways your life doesn’t look like a romantic comedy. Focus on the connection between you two.” And most importantly, relax and enjoy this winter break with your guy—you deserve it.