What we wish we'd known in high school: Dating

Recently, we asked some people who are a little older and a bit wiser than you to share with us what they wish they had known when they were in high school. Here's what they had to say about dating:

“You’ll be just fine if you haven’t had a boyfriend, girlfriend, first date, or first kiss by the time you graduate from high school.”
—Emily Cole

“I wish I’d known that purity in every form of the word—spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically—is so very important and to be guarded and protected.”
—Kaylan Christopher

“Girls, if a boy doesn’t call you back, don’t keep calling him. Let him pursue you.”
—Emily Cole

“I wish I had known that in the large majority of cases, high school sweethearts and boyfriends do not last. If I could do it all over again I would spend way less time worrying about my dating life and more time focusing on my GPA, dental hygiene, and driving skills because those are things that affect and stay with you forever.”
—Julie Sallee Partin, ec writer

“The reality that high school relationships usually don’t last forever doesn’t give you permission to be a jerk. Your friends may break up and go out with a new girl every week. That doesn’t mean you should be flippant about how you treat who you’re dating. No matter how long it lasts, treat her with respect. It’s a good thing I did; I married my high school girlfriend.”
—Scott Latta

“I wish I’d known that when you give your body to someone, you’re also giving a piece of your heart.”
 —Pam Gibbs

“Having a girlfriend or boyfriend should not define you. Our identity and our worth is found in Christ and Christ alone, not in a guy or a girl who likes us. Dating can be an important part of your teenage years, but it should never become your primary focus.”
—Will Snipes, ec writer

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