The Stages of Your Hooking Up

You're likely familiar with the phrases "We're just casually dating" and "This is getting serious." There's more about making commitments. For now, it's worthwhile to know that to get from the casual stage of dating to the serious stage, you actually go through these 10 steps.

Stage 1. The first look. At that first glance, you sense your initial attraction. You're lucky if you feel the draw right away: Research shows it takes those 15 seconds to make your initial decision about whether you are interested.

Stage 2. The first flush. When you're face-to-face. you get a fuller sense of how you interact and whether you feel good being around each other and can talk to each other.

Stage 3. Feeling "in like." You sense you enjoy being around the person and are curious to find out more about him.

Stage 4. Feeling lust. This is the flush of adrenaline that may make your heart pound. Your skin tingles, and you can't wait to feel their arms around you or their lips on yours.

Stage 5. Falling in love. You've spent time together, and you notice he has that savoir fare that makes you melt. He orders wine and you're impressed he knows the vineyards. She talks to your friends and you feel thrill of pride over your catch.

Stage 6. Getting over humps. You first imagine you could wake up every morning looking at her without makeup, or you decide you can fall asleep every night even though he snores.

Stage 7. Speaking words of commitment. Telling each other you could be "the one."

Stage 8. Practicing coupledom. You spend a weekend playing house, making his bed, cooking her breakfast, and taking your nephew to the zoo. So now you think you might be able to do the marriage-and-kids thing together.

Stage 9. You move in together and see how you really get along.

Stage 10. You can get through the rough spots, where you might feel tinges of being bored with him or you're worried that she doesn't look as hot to you that day. Still, you hang in there and it gets better again.