1. She waits up till I come home

"My girlfriend tries to stay awake until I come home. I tend to work a lot of late nights, but she's more of an "early to bed, early to rise" kinda girl, so she always tries to stay awake so she can at least say good night. She's studying abroad right now, and she still tries to stay awake until I come home from work so we can Skype goodnight." - thom3804

2. He remembers our little traditions

"We've been dating for five years and we have always gotten a Cherry Coke as a drink if we are sharing. A few months ago, we went to the movies and he came back, as per usual, with a Cherry Coke. I said I was glad that we both loved that soda the most and he replied 'I actually don't really like Cherry Coke but I get it because it's your favorite and you like to share.'" - annalynnvt

3. He holds my hand

"Holding hands. Doesn't matter if it's at home or when we're walking around, it's a constant reminder." - marigold99

4. She makes me coffee every morning

"Every morning, my wife of 18 years gets up before me and makes coffee. She doesn't drink coffee." - Sandbocks

5. He kisses me in the middle of the night

"When he wakes up in the middle of the night and kisses me while still half asleep. That makes me feel like even when he's semi-conscious, he wants to show me he loves me." - Dildo_of_Vengeance

6. He leaves me the last bite

"He always tries to give me the last bite of whatever we're sharing, even if it's insanely delicious." - scienceasfuck

7. He just wants me to be happy

"When I'm stressed out and miserable because of my job, he always says "Just quit. We'll be okay" when he knows full well that we need the money my job brings in. He'd rather have to scrape and scratch to pay the bills than see me unhappy." - DiffidentDissident

8. He loves me even when he's angry

"The way we argue. He's so considerate and thoughtful with his words, even when I know he's incredibly frustrated. That speaks volumes about the way he respects me and loves me even when he's angry with me."

9. He doesn't let me feel like a burden

"I seriously injured my back recently and he helps me do absolutely everything and expects nothing back. When I start to feel bad for needing him so much, he reassures me that he's my husband and he loves helping me. "For better or for worse." It means a lot. - babbidaboopy

10. He looks out for my safety

"He's a bit of a crazy driver, but if we ever have to make a hard stop, he immediately throws out his arm to keep me in my seat. I'm a fairly small person, and he's a fairly tall one, and as a result he's very protective of me, in little and big ways. Seeing that, and seeing him worrying about my safety makes me feel more loved than anything else in the world."

11. He treats me like he did when we first started dating

"Married 18 years and he still kisses me every morning." - pinaygirl

Yesterday, Donald Trump was elected President of the United States. As he took to the podium to deliver his victory speech, we grimaced, waiting for him to once again blunder and say something stupid. We wanted him to prove to us and to those who voted, once again, at this important moment, that this man before us wasn't the right guy for the job. Alas, he didn't--not that it would've changed anything. When the applause died down, the parody became real. This political freak show came to an end, and with it, the worst of endings. This racist, sexist, homophobic, narcissistic, volatile orange human being, this man who was against everything that is modern America, this man with no political experience whatsoever and who's also been dubbed--not inaccurately--the Hitler incarnate, was now the most powerful person in America. We had gone from Obama to Trump (and Michelle to Melania). ...what the f--k is happening? America was doomed. In that moment, the world suddenly became a very different place--a much, much scarier one.

How Singapore Reacted

Everyone lost their shit on Facebook. Every news and lifestyle outlet showed how clearly devastated they were by the outcome. Celebrities tweeted and Instagrammed their disappointment. Memes spread like wildfire--even the tone had shifted in some of them. Singaporeans too reacted to this horrifying outcome, and anti-Trump posts and thoughts were being born a post a second. One of the first things we started shooting at was American intelligence; a Trump vote was a dumb vote. "Americans are damn stupid", "this world is full of stupid people" we told each other or broadcast to our social media. We thought we had the <a href=" voter pegged. We assumed, and with great confidence, that he was some uneducated bum (probably white) who responded well to, well, crazy. People too dumb to even realize how dumb they were. That's exactly what I thought. Because this was not the decision of thinking, rational-minded people. This was clearly the act of stupid. I thought democracy was broken and that if stupid people were given the power to make important decisions for everybody, we're all doomed; the world is crawling with stupid. In my state of total confusion, I took to the Internet, trying to find an explanation for this lunacy and after reading <a href=" Moore pin it on a disenchanted working class, threatened white men, and on Hillary and how she didn't inspire enough enthusiasm for Americans to inconvenience themselves and vote (or bring a friend to do it with), I came upon <a href=" article. In it, the author writes about an urban versus rural conflict, how the city people treat the rural "freaks", ignoring them and their welfare. Basically, about how the Trump vote was a Molotov thrown at the elite. At first, I wasn't sure how legit this article was because what was described in it was so far removed from the America I imagined. And then it occurred to me: What the hell do I really know about America? Until this year, I've never followed the American elections. As I was watching the live election broadcast, I asked "Who is Johnson?!". I have no idea what the difference is between a Democrat and a Republican and what, there's also a group called 'Libertarian'? The thing I'm most well-versed in about this election is Donald Trump. I'm willing to bet that I'm not the only one, and yet so many of us chimed in.

What the U.S. is and is not

I've never lived in America. I've never worked in America. I've never felt the impact of its policies. I'm informed by TV and movies, and all I know is all I read. As a non-American, everything I know is incomplete. I can't say I know what the U.S. is and is not. I, a Singaporean, am least qualified to comment on who or what the U.S. chooses. The U.S. election isn't an entertainment story, even though at many times and in many ways, it does feel like it. This is real life. This is a decision made by people who have real stakes in the matter. Whatever happens to us is just a side effect of it. From where I'm standing, this election wasn't about Trump or Clinton. It was about America --an America many of us have no idea about. An America that's broken in a way that we from the outside cannot see. An America that's broken in a way that even Americans cannot see. Even now, nearly all the stories in circulation condemn Trump. The people who chose Trump remain invisible, and their issues, silent. All we see is Trump. All we hear are Trump's offenses on repeat. All we know is America is angry. No... Half of America is angry. Another half of America wanted this. And who are we, Singaporeans, to question it?

America chose, so let's respect it

At the third presidential debate, Trump was asked if he would accept the election results once the votes were in. To that, he infamously refused to answer, saying “I will look at it at the time" and "I will keep you in suspense." And yet, as we browse the news today, from protests to #Calexit, it's the reverse that's happening. Trump has accepted it, and its everyone else that hasn't. We Singaporeans have our fears--What will happen to us? What will change? What will remain the same? That's it already, die already. But at the end of the day, it is not about us. This was about America. If America is broken, America needs a government who will fix it. America voted who they saw best fit for the job, and they chose Donald Trump. And we would do well not to undermine that choice, unsavoury as it may be.

Read Next: The 2016 Election Result - A Wake Up Call For Everyone

When Trump received Hillary’s call to concede defeat, it wasn’t just a call to graciously step down from the ring; it was a wake-up call for all of America. Within minutes of the news release, international news agencies immediately poured out opinions on the shocking news; even acclaimed economists like Paul Krugman took to the pen, contemplating the choice made by his fellow people. Let’s admit it; America didn't make the wisest decision in history. Yet, crying over spilt milk isn’t going to help. We have to move on and not wallow in dramatic despair, or mock the Americans for their decision. It’s time for America to wake up, to think deeper about the roots that led to this election result. Upon receiving the news, my first reaction was: OMG – Is this for real? Like many others around the world, this was not the result I expected. Yet, a calm-headed senior colleague of mine reminded me that the more pertinent issue lay with the fundamental beliefs of Americans. Even educated, young white Americans who clearly understood the brevity of their choice still went for a representative speaking out clearly against free trade, immigration and diversity.

Why is this so?

After years of promoting racial equality, why do election results still reflect a choice opposing that ideal? Why is a great nation who was built by immigrant ancestors now opposing immigrants? Unfortunately, as “free” as America may seem to be, ironically, there is very little freedom for America to explore beyond its own boundaries. Many Americans lack the opportunity to get out of their country, to meet people from diverse backgrounds, missing out on the chance to experience a variety of thought and ideas. This is particularly so for those from more rural, far-flung areas, where the majority of such states chose to swing red. On my first visit to the States recently, I still get people responding with “ni hao” when I tell them I'm from Singapore. When I tell them I speak English as a first language, they react almost incredulously. Despite being the beacon of hope for many across history, Americans show very little hope in their own nation. Upon speaking to a young American teenager on my visit to Vegas, he told me he was not going to vote, because it “didn’t matter anyway”, and both candidates weren’t his ideal picks. We laughed when I urged him to do so, because at least he could opt for the “the lesser evil”. It made my heart break a little when my Uber drivers spoke passionately about their dreams of going abroad, but were limited by visa and passport difficulties; it takes months to get a passport processed, and many Americans don’t have one. The lack of opportunity has resulted in constraints, unfortunately limiting Americans’ view of the world. As such, the eventual results are not surprising.

So where do we go from here?

Instead of criticizing the new President, or outwardly showing our disapproval, it’s time to set aside all differences and to move on to make America whole again. As idealistic as it seems, perhaps the new U.S. President is right. It is time for America to rebuild its inner fences--not to keep out people, but to keep out drugs, pornography and vices. It is time for America to rebuild infrastructure, to connect people to each other and to new ideas. It is time for America to become great again; this sharp jolt will shake and stir people to re-think their nation, paving the way forward. For the rest of us, let us not make disparaging and condescending comments about the elections. Let us not put pictures of our passports on social media, welcoming Americans to migrate over. Rather, as America has been gracious with us in the past, it is our turn to be gracious to them. Encourage them to move forward from here, make efforts to work with the new government, and learn from this episode, to ensure stability on our own political grounds. There is so much more to this world when we help each other up from our falls. This is a wake-up call not just for the US, but for everyone. Let’s answer the call together.

Breakups are one of the most painful things in life to go through. You're plagued by the memory of them, the things you've done together, the places you've gone, and whether you're on the initiating or receiving end of the breakup, it hurts. Like hell. In the wake of a breakup, it can seem like the pain will never end, that you will always be broken, and that you will never be able to love again. All that couldn't be further from the truth. One day, you'll wake up and realize that you're okay, that you survived it, that they've been cleansed from your system. This is how 17 Singaporeans knew they were finally over their ex-es.

1. When the memory of them stops haunting you

"When I can look at the other person and laugh at the memories." "When I look at their post on Facebook and don't think of my time with them." "When you go back to places you've been to together and it doesn't upset you." "When I start forgetting simple things like which floor they live on or their middle names."

2. When you can be normal around them

"When I no longer feel awkward around them."

3. When it just stops hurting

"When I no longer cry when I sleep." "When I can listen to "Six degrees of separation" by The Script and not feel anything anymore." "When I no longer feel happy/sad/angry etc. over them. Just neutral. When I'm sort of apathetic towards them?"

4. When you no longer think about them

"When I no longer think of them as I wake up and as I go to sleep." "When I only think about them once in awhile." "When I can get on with my life as per usual and not think about or check on the person every other hour." "When I no longer think of the person when I'm having fun. When you're with someone, you think of them when you're having fun 'coz you want them to share your joy. When you stop thinking about them when you're happy, you're over them."

5. When they stop being a sensitive topic

"When I feel neutral when people mention their name/places we've been to/activities we've done together." "When I'm okay seeing them date someone else." "When I see them with someone else and I'm like heng ah, lucky I never end up with that person. " "When I simply don't feel anything when people talk about him or when I bump into him."

6. When you move on

"When I'm interested in someone else." How did you know when you were finally over your ex? Submit your story to [email protected].

Read Next: 16 Singaporeans Share What They Hate Most About Dating These Days

Dating in this day and age is a tricky thing to navigate. There are new relationship labels, new relationship dynamics, new dating habits, and let's just say not all of these changes are for the better. These are some things Singaporeans Hate--with a capital'H'--about the dating scene today.

1. You're probably not the only one

"Too many avenues of distraction, especially during the early dating phase i.e. high possibility of concurrent dating." "Trust issues. That one guy/girl you're dating may be dating 10 other people. HEARTS ARE AT STAKE HERE PEOPLE!"

2. A generation of commitment-phobes

"How casual everything is." "People are not as willing to put in effort and are always looking for the easy way out."

3. Life gets in the way

"Too many commitments."

4. It's all about sex

"Hookup culture." "Assuming everything is somehow physical-related."

5. A difference in expectations

"When guys just want casual sex."

6. Having to play the damn game

"The GAME. Of waiting and coy flirting." "The fact that you can't be entirely honest with the person you're chasing/dating. One has to pretend to be interested yet not overly interested. You have to play it cool and not reply/text early. Somehow, dating has evolved into a mind game. I personally prefer how things were done in the past where it was a little more direct."

7. What happened to good ol' face to face? Or phone calls?

"Everything seems to be done over the online medium. I think the tradition of calling someone on the phone and asking them out is so sweet! And you can actually genuinely feel the interest level of the other party from their voice over the phone." "Texting, because you can't communicate ~real~ feelings."

8. Blurred lines

"Not knowing when to close the deal."

9. "It's complicated."

"Too many labels: dating/seeing so-and-so/friends with benefits. What happened to good, old fashioned romance?"

10. Oversensitive people

"If one is too frank, one is likely to be perceived as out of line."

11. Um... It's awesome?

"Nothing." What do you hate most about dating these days? Submit your story to [email protected].

Read Next: 17 Singaporeans Share How They Knew They Were Finally Over Their Ex-es

"Life is about more than getting good grades." How many of us have told ourselves this, only to fall into a deep pit of depression when our grades came back less than stellar? Having grown up in Singapore's education system, we all know the importance of getting good grades. Having faced streaming exercises from young and then having competed for placement into "good schools", and then into university, how could we not? Studying hard and getting good grades is the point of school... Right? Not really. Grades are important of course. Grades do open certain doors and in certain courses (e.g law, medicine), grades are, in fact, everything. But for the rest of us, grades are not the end all be all and now, as I'm graduating from university and finally exiting the education system for good, I'm beginning to appreciate this fact. University is a total experience, and if you put your time and energy solely into securing a good grade, and let everything else fall by the side, you miss out on so much of it. Now and then, stop hitting the books and go do these things instead.

1. Expand your social network

Don't just stick with the friends you knew prior to university, or with people who are just like you. Interact with people who are different. Not only will they expand your world and your thinking, you never know when these relationships might come in handy! I cannot emphasize further how university is all about “making connections”. I once heard from a career coach that 70% of jobs hiring are not listed on the Internet. Wouldn’t it be nice to one day hear from a friend “Hey, I recommended you to my manager”. Your friendship network can give you a leg up on your job search by taking it beyond the Internet.

2. Learn from the experts

Instead of keeping silent and under the radar in tutorials, and keeping your questions to yourself, talk to your professors! Not only do they have a wealth of knowledge, talking to them also helps sharpen your thinking.

3. Develop practical skills

When you're an undergrad, it's kinda like that Britney song goes: you're not a child, not yet an adult. You're somewhere right smack in between. In this state of in-between, make a conscious effort to pick up practical skills like presentation skills, leadership skills, confrontational skills, any kind of skill that up until now, you might've been lacking. University provides plenty of opportunities for you to practice "adulting" and you'd be wise to use them! The cliche "it's not the end but the journey that counts" works well here. Once you're out of school, you'll realize that learning to give presentations confidently, do thorough research, and practicing the art of thinking critically are far more useful in real life than to answer questions perfectly right.

4. Take those extra-curriculars

In university, you learn that the busier you are, involved in societies, volunteering, organizing events, etc., the better you get at managing your time. I was section leader in a music club, publicist in a sports club, and ambassador of my course. Juggling all these commitments helped me learn to prioritize my time and the thought of losing sleep rushing assignments was enough to keep me from procrastinating. Plus, taking part in other activities also helped enrich my university life. There are so many activities taking place on campus every week from concerts to yoga classes to stargazing sessions... Sign up for these things. Not only do they cost you close to nothing (and sometimes, nothing), they create opportunities for you to expand your interests and meet like-minded people while doing so!

5. Think about your future

Don't get tunnel vision trying to score an A for every module you're taking. If you haven't a clue what you'd like to do once you're out of school, every now and then, take a break from it all and consider what you'd like to do in the future. What are you good at? What are your interests? What are your passions? If you feel lost, embrace that feeling. It's all part of the journey. Just start thinking about who you are, where you want to go, and what options you can consider. It's better to think about these things while you're still in school than try and figure it out after you're out. After all, whether or not you'd like to admit it, what you have in school is time. University isn’t just about getting a 5.0 CAP, it’s about so much more. It’s about meeting new people, picking up new skills, trying new things, having new experiences, learning more about yourself, and about having fun. (Yes, having fun.) There are plenty of practical things to be gained from university and of course, some not as practical but just as important ones as well. If you're a newly minted undergrad, good luck to you and I hope you experience every bit of the university journey!

What Happened?

Samsung may be in some pretty serious trouble right now for their next-generation explosives, but let’s not let the other smartphone giant off the hook – Apple. Oh, Apple, what happened to you? Remember when you were relevant? Me neither. I kid. I do remember. I remember owning an old iPod Nano, and getting an iPhone once I got out of slavery… Um, I mean the Army. Apple products used to mean something to people, something special. Not anymore. What happened? To identify what went wrong, let’s first look at what went right in the first place. The iMac was what gave Apple its start, but what really turned the company into an industry giant and put Apple products on the map - and on the top of people’s wishlists – was the iPod. Apple’s iPod was not the first MP3 player on the market, but at its time, it was by far the best. It blew away the competition with its enormous storage capacity, compact form factor, solid build quality, and ease of use. Shortly after, the iTouch revolutionized touchscreen devices, and the iPhone added a phone on top of all that, and the rest is history. Sadly, Apple’s reign is about to come to a crushing end, and here’s why.

Build Quality

In Apple’s heyday, one thing that set their products apart from their competitors was their build quality. The solid, polished, metal alloy casings of Apple products then were far superior to the cheap plastic casings of competitors. Then the competition caught up. Today, every phone feels like an iPhone, with phone manufacturers from Samsung to Oppo ditching cheap plastic for high-quality metal alloys and polymers. The “Apple = Quality” connection had been severed, and Apple has since lost that edge.

iTunes and Flexibility

“The thing I love about Apple products is their reliance on iTunes” is a sentence you will never hear anyone utter. iTunes is a despicable abomination that has driven many consumers away from Apple products, and into their competitors’ flexible arms. Yet for some reason, Apple insists on keeping iTunes just the way it is. What iTunes does is essentially restrict the transfer of data between your phone and computer. Where Android phones allow users to transfer files freely as they would with any other USB device, iOS devices require that one’s phone and computer libraries be “synced”. What if you want to grab some files from your friend’s computer and transfer them to your phone without screwing up your whole library? Nope, can’t do that. What if you want to add one song from your computer to your phone? Better update that stupid iTunes and sync your whole damned library. And there is no way in hell I’m forking out money every month for that Spotify rip-off Apple music.

Greedy, and out of Touch

Apple is a corporation, and corporations run on greed. We get that. But Apple doesn’t even bother trying to hide their greed. Incidentally, their objective seems to have shifted from giving consumers what they want and gaining new supporters, to gouging as much money from their existing supporters as possible. Let’s just look at their latest offerings. The new MacBook Pro 2016 features a space-wasting touchscreen panel that everyone is just going to use for annoying emojis, and new USB-C ports that are completely incompatible with almost all existing USB devices unless you purchase expensive peripheral adaptors. Apple recently announced a slight price drop to the USB-C adaptors, but seeing as how they are basically an absolute necessity and an infuriating hassle, I wouldn’t get the new MacBook even if the adaptors were FREE. Look, I understand what you might think they’re trying to do. As industry leaders, they’re taking it upon themselves to innovate and move technology forward by forcing the market to adopt newer, better technologies like USB-C. Unfortunately, they’re going about it all wrong. Early adoption of new technologies has to be gradual, to give the industry time to transition away from old technology. By forcing new tech down their consumers’ throats, many of whom still own perfectly functional USB devices, Apple is pushing its fans away, and alienating possible new ones. A smarter approach would be simply to provide options. Perhaps have one USB-C port, and leave the other USB ports alone. Maybe have a premium version of the MacBook with all USB-C ports, for willing early adopters, while everyone else can choose to buy a MacBook with traditional USB ports. Flexibility. The same consumer-gouging approach can also be seen in the iPhone 7. Want to plug in your earphones to a headphone jack? Oops, we left that out. How about you give us more money for an adaptor? Or perhaps a pair of flimsy wireless earpods that you’re probably going to lose in a week? Want to use your earphones while your phone is charging? Sorry buddy, not possible. Give us money, we’re innovators. Apple needs to learn that their consumer base does not consist entirely of 15-year-olds who care only about fancy-coloured cases, selfie cameras and emojis. They need to respect their customers, get in touch with what people want, or see their empire crumble faster than a Galaxy Note 7 factory.

1. Break Up Via Mom

"Once had a girl break up via her mom. For 3 weeks, she wouldn't return my texts/calls so I drove to her place one night. Her mom answers the door and says, "She don't want nothing to do with you." As I'm getting back in my car, she appears. I just said, "Save it. If you're not adult enough to break up with me yourself, then I want nothing to do with you anyway." I drove off and never saw the b*tch again." - oopstoolate

2. Wait, What Just Happened?

"A girl dumped me while going down on me. ...I was confused." --the_neophyte

3. Post-coital Breakup

"My first boyfriend dumped me about an hour after I lost my virginity to him. We'd been together for a year. That kinda stung." - manders41411

4. Shitty Timing

"Friend of mine broke up with his girlfriend of 2.5 years while on a plane to a wedding, in which she only knew him. They shared the hotel room for 3 days and sat next to each other on the flight back." - elfa82

5. Not Doing It At All

"Came back from a girls' weekend with my sister and cousin to find the entire apartment empty. Everything was gone including most of my stuff. No note, no phone call, nothing. This was 8 months after getting married; turned out he wanted a divorce." - tashke

6. I Cheated And It's YOUR Fault

"A girl broke up with me over Facebook. She blamed me for her cheating on me while I was away for a week." - joeshmoe16

7. Leaving Without A Word

"He left me while I was in the shower. On New Year's Day. Never answered my calls, emails or texts. Just up and left. We were together over three years."

8. Break Up Via Facebook Relationship Status Change

"My brother's girlfriend changed her relationship status to 'in a relationship' with a different guy and I called him because I was shocked they had broken up and she had moved on so quickly. I asked why they broke up and he replied with 'we didn't break up?'" - shannonious

9. Double whammy

"My ex broke up with me over the phone right before asking my best friend out, while I was still on the phone. She said yes." - ashtonanne

Got a f-ed up breakup story? Add to the list! Submit your story to [email protected].

The Pursuit of Happiness

When John Lennon was a child, a teacher asked his class to write about what they wanted to be when they grew up. John handed in his assignment with one word – happy. He wanted to be happy when he grew up. The teacher said, “John, you don’t understand the question,” to which John replied, “You don’t understand life.” Yes, this story is a tad clichéd, not to mention unverified, but the message cuts deep with many of us. Too often we confuse happiness with financial success, career progression with job satisfaction. These terms may not be mutually exclusive, but they’re not identical either. And our failure to recognize this leads to a dissonance between what we want from our careers, and what would actually make us happy. From the moment we step into our first classroom, society throws the collective weight of its expectations on us; parents wanting us to be what they couldn’t, teachers filling our heads with fantasies of all we can accomplish if we just studied hard. We’re busy figuring out how long boogers take to harden, and they want us to figure out the rest of our lives.

Parts in a Machine

See, society is essentially a machine, and we the people, its parts. Old parts get replaced, and each part keeps doing its assigned job, until eventually it wears out and gets replaced too. The machine has no time or patience for its parts to be indecisive, to swap places with each other and try to figure out where they belong. Parts get assigned, moulded for their specific function, and put to work. This is why society puts so much pressure on students, graduates, and young workers to find a job quickly and stick with it. “Fresh graduates” are valued over graduates who took a year or two off to travel or try different jobs. People who jump between jobs are losers with no direction in life. There is no time for training or gaining experience. You’re a part in a machine. You do what you were built for, and you’d bloody well better stay there. The cruel irony of the matter is that we do this to ourselves. We create the society that pigeonholes us into jobs we hate, and forces us to settle and accept our errant career paths just to keep food on the proverbial table. We can’t have every unhappy worker quitting their jobs; society would crumble. Stubborn hard work and misplaced dedication benefit everyone except the worker himself. So, no, we can’t all just quit our jobs willy nilly; the machine must keep running. But that doesn’t mean we can’t shuffle the parts a little.

Excuses, excuses, excuses

Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard someone say, “I can’t quit my job, the job market is so bad right now.” Okay, you can put your hands down now. It seems the job market is always bad for people unwilling to leave their professional comfort zone, so let’s call it what it is: an excuse. Switching jobs may not always be a walk in the park, but failing to at least try puts the blame for your miserable professional life squarely on your shoulders. Don’t blame the job market if you’re too chicken to even try it out. There are some folks lucky enough to have landed in a job they love and would never want to quit. If that’s who you are, I’m sorry you wasted your time reading this. This is for those poor souls stuck in the perpetual limbo of job dissatisfaction, constantly weighing their desire for happiness against the need for that all-important Dollar.

Just Do It. Let It Go. Hakuna Matata. Insert Inspirational Catchphrase

If you want to quit your job, make like Nike and take steps to Just Do It. Search for options first. Sign up on a career site. Take your time, but make sure you’re doing all you can. When you eventually find a job you think might be better, don’t hesitate to go for it. Stop comparing salaries with your peers; they’re too busy feeling insecure about their own salaries to care. Don’t worry about the pay cut; invest in your happiness, and your returns will be priceless.

1. They're Open To Criticism

"When you can comfortably start a conversation knowing that the other person won't be petty or defensive. Just honest opinions shared." - JELLOSTAIN

2. Talking About It Means Talking About It

"When we disagree on something, we talk about it instead of yelling at the top of our voices at each other." - ishouldbeworking00

3. They Fight Clean

"When mad, she didn't just say sh*t to hurt me. She would just focus on the issue. It makes so much difference." - Reluctanttwink

4. You're Always Excited To See Them

"You never dread seeing them. If you want to hang out and do things with your SO, that's for sure a 'green flag'." - sexualfannypack

5. You Make Each Other Better People

"Commitment to helping you be a better person, while also being open to any assistance in becoming a better person themselves." - mstarrbrannigan

6. You Are NOT Their Everything

"As weird as it sounds, being completely independent of you. There is a stable life outside of you, but still choosing you as a priority. If they don't have other friends or hobbies and want to spend every minute with you, it is kind of concerning." - dirtywiggles

7. They Lift You Up

"If they make you feel good about yourself." - DoobaDoobaDooba

8. No Stupid Games

"Instead of playing games, they follow through. Call when they say they are going to call. Show up to things they said they'd go to, and on time. They make you a priority." - 1robotsnowman

9. No Egos In Bed

"We can have honest discussions on what we like and don't like in bed and whatever kinks we have." - badassmthrfkr

10. They Respect You

"Takes your side in public and tells you when you're wrong in private." - motelcheeseburger

11. They're Not Too Good To Say 'Sorry'

"Ability to apologize and admit that they were wrong, acted irrationally, etc." - AM0XY

12. What's Yours Isn't Necessarily Mine

"Not entitled to my money. My girlfriends seem to think I'm required to spend money on them, even though they are financially independent. Don't get me wrong, I offer to pay for dinner, spend lots on Christmas and birthdays, and I do buy them things, but every time I don't, they get like 'you don't love me' or some sh*t. My current girlfriend doesn't do this, and I'm so f*cking happy." - Vermillion9861

13. The Love They Give Your Pets

"Loving your pet as much as you do." - shadoue

How did you know your partner was/is a keeper? Add to the list! Submit your story to [email protected].