4 Need-To-Know Rules For One-Night Stands

You go out on a first date with someone who's handsome, fun, and nice. You're having so much fun, you don't want the night to end. So, you invite him back to your place, you have great sex, and fall asleep feeling yummy. After a quick morning coffee the next morning, you say an awkward goodbye and vaguely confirm that you'll "be in touch." At this point, all those satisfied feelings from the night before turn into a knot of uncertainty. Was it just a hookup or the beginning of something more?

It's obvious at this point: Sex is no longer an indicator that a relationship is getting serious. In fact, it doesn't imply a relationship at all. In a May 2016 survey, Relationup (an app that provides live relationship advice) revealed that 59 percent of men and women thought hooking up on the first date had no impact on whether it would evolve into a long-term relationship. Despite this, 72 percent of the women and 34 percent of the men surveyed admitted that they have difficulties managing the post-hookup relationship.

If you venture into the world of hookups, you have to accept that you're playing in a gray area. If you know that uncertainty or undefined expectations make you worry or obsess, you might be better off avoid casual sex. To have a satisfying hookup, you have to be OK with never hearing from that person again. Maybe you will. But if you don't, that shouldn't ruin the experience. If it does, then you weren't looking at it the right way. It's all about perspective.

Hookups can be a fun beginning to a new relationship, or they can just be one night of spontaneity. But whether or not you enjoy yourself in the context of a hookup comes down to knowing your needs and respecting them.