What girl hasn’t dreamed of a fun, flirty, summer fling with a handsome stranger, frolicking through the ocean waves à la Sandy and Danny from Grease? The truth is, they’re kind of hard to come by, as they don’t happen as naturally as the movies make them look (and they definitely don’t involve any musical numbers, unfortunately). But if you for some reason find yourself faced with the opportunity for one of these “relationship quickies” while on your envious European vacation this summer, or even just back at home, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Here are 4 critical rules you should follow to have a fun but safe summer fling that will have all your girlfriends wondering how you snagged something so rare and wonderful!
1. Know who you’re hooking up with.
I know, it sounds a little silly, since there is a good chance you’ll know little to nothing about this person. But before you make any sort of commitment to this person, do a little cyber-stalking to make sure they’re at least semi-normal, and don’t have any sort of sketchy past. If you can’t find them at all on social media, then that might be a cause for alarm, but certainly not the end-all, be-all. Use your discretion, and listen to your gut!
2. Have clear, set boundaries.
Make sure you’re both aware of what your limits are before you even get into anything. That may sound like a bit of a buzzkill, but if you both have opposite ideas of what your ideal fling consists of, that’s going to be a potential cause for conflict.
3. Tell at least one person what you’re doing.
As with most things you do, you should let at least one person, like a close friend, know who you’re with, where you’re at/going, and what you’re doing. There’s no need for a play-by-play (please, spare your friend the particularly explicit details. Contrary to popular belief, they don’t really want all of that), but just make sure someone knows your general whereabouts and that you’re available to contact.
4. Don’t get attached.
Unless there’s a mutual understanding between you two that this fling could turn into something more long-term, try not to take the whole thing too seriously. Because if one person catches feelings and the other doesn’t, feelings could get hurt…and this is the origin story of a crazy ex. That’s where unnecessary glitter bombs come in…and on the opposite end of the spectrum, and a little more dangerous, car-keying, threatening text messages, etc. Know that it’s all just for fun…but take your safety seriously while you’re at it!