<p>It's high school - what's the point of it? The likelihood of marrying the person you are in "love" with is exceedingly slim; people change, stuff happens, we have a long future ahead, we have limited control over our lives at this point in time, etc. So the only logical choices on dating in high school that I can see goes as follows:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>have as many hook-ups while you still are young and have the excuse of being foolish. Live a hedonist lifestyle because you are required to grow more mature later and won't get this opportunity ever again without serious ramifications. Sure, you are a scumbag, but you get the best of both worlds - "guiltless" pleasure now, and practice in fulfilling a longterm relationship in the future (if you don't become so warped that you don't remember how).</p></li>
<li><p>don't date. Especially if you are naively looking for "love" at this age. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>And I doubt that high school gf/bf relationships have a higher survival rate than formal marriages. As mj93 pointed out, it's "fun" for most people, nothing more. But for something to last, you can't have that mentality or at the first sign of trouble it's "oh, it was fun while it lasted... NEXT!". </p>
<p>And if you actually invested some of yourself in the relationship, what can you say that you have gotten out of it besides "fun"? Don't say something silly like "companionship" or "understanding" - you don't need to date to get that. It's rationalization of carnal impulses at best.</p>
<p>Well, what's the point of dating at all, really? Just because you might not end up spending the rest of your life with someone doesn't mean you can't benefit from experiencing that degree of intimacy. Sure, you can get pretty emotionally intimate with friends--but, seriously now, everyone knows it's not the same.
If nothing else, dating in high school (and I mean serious relationships, not a fling that lasts for two weeks and you never meet the guy's dad) gives you practice in communication, compromise, and trust. And if you get a little self-indulgent, so-sweet-it-makes-your-teeth-rot fluff out of it... well, why is that such a bad thing? :/</p>
<p>Dating can give skills you need in a marriage. You learn how to be completely open with someone else, and trust someone else. You also learn how to work out disagreements with someone else without hurting them. </p>
<p>What I think is most important, you can also find out what you want in your significant other. You learn how you want to be treated and to treat someone you are intimate with.</p>
<p>It's impossible to control your feelings (well, to a point, anyway). If you find yourself "falling" for someone, you're going to want more intimacy with them (and I don't necessarily mean the type of "intimacy" that you think I mean).</p>
<p>Now, what if that person (I don't know if you're male or female, so I can't specify a gender) reciprocates your feelings? What if that person asked if s/he can see you more/ go on a date with you? Would you honestly say, "No. Dating in high school is pointless. I mean, do you honestly think that we're going to end up married? You just want to hook-up with me."</p>
<p>No. You're not going to do that. You like that person, and you're going to want to be with them, regardless of the fact that you're not going to get married. Why? Because attempting to fight feelings with logic is futile.</p>
<p>idk, when i have a someone that i can connect with, i just feel more safe & happy. even if it isn't incredibly serious. it just makes me feel like i have a great friend, no matter how long he lasts...</p>
<p>also, i second what som of the other posts have said. you learn about stuff that cn help you build strong relationships. & you learn whether or not youd like to be with that person forever or not....OR if they are the type of person you'd want to be with for life. =)</p>
<p>So... "I sorta like you and am attracted to you, but you're just practice for the real thing... no offense"?</p>
<p>And ha at the "feelings" part of it - funny how we humans think we are above the whole animal magnetism that we observe in nature. Stop trying to make our species sound more rational than it is.</p>
<p>You can't just wait until you're 25 or 30 and then go, "boom, let's find my lifetime mate." You need practice getting along with the other sex, communicating, figuring what you do and don't need from a guy or girl. Not to mention, having a bf or gf can be pretty fun. You always have someone to hang out with, talk to, express your disappointments and desires to, and make out with!</p>
<p>People who plan to get educated beyond high school (which is what pretty much on this site plans to do) are much less likely to keep their high school sweethearts.</p>
<p>I agree with what has been said here, dating can give one experiance to learn more about themselves and the type of person they would like to spend their life with. Others are honestly romantics and are looking for "soul-mates" and the such. Still others enjoy the thrill of the game. </p>
<p>Everybody has their own reasons for dating in high school, and they aren't necessarily all to immediately find a lifetime partner.</p>
<p>I, however, also respect those who wait until a later point in their life to start looking for someone. Mostly because I am that type of person.</p>
<p>
[quote]
No. You're not going to do that. You like that person, and you're going to want to be with them, regardless of the fact that you're not going to get married. Why? Because attempting to fight feelings with logic is futile.</p>