My boyfriend and I have been dating for five years now; he’s supportive, spoils me, and makes me laugh until my stomach hurts. He’s also a teacher. And while he has an endless supply of #2 pencils and stationary, it’s not always rainbows and butterflies. If you’ve met a super cute teacher and are considering falling madly in love (you know, because we have control over these things…) here are a few things to consider before you go completely Ted Mosby and steal a Blue French Horn, or any other vibrantly painted musical instrument.

1. THEY WORK… A LOT

“They get summers off and long holiday breaks!” you exclaim. But the majority of those “days off” are spent planning for the next week, grading papers, or in meetings for kids who are struggling. Teachers can’t just clock-out and forget about work till the next morning; the work, the students’ stories, and the stress are often taken home.

Which means that you when you ask, “How was work?” that answer has a multitude of possible answers. And whatever day he’s had, good or bad, you have to be there to listen.

2. DATE NIGHTS ARE OFTEN SPENT AT HIGH SCHOOL SPORTING EVENTS

Because I’m dating a teacher who genuinely cares about his students and supporting his school, our date nights are often spent at the basketball court instead of the five-star restaurant (But it’s honestly more fun anyway – hello nachos and skittles for dinner!). There’s also something to be said about a teacher who spends his/her weekend off traveling to an away soccer tournament instead of going to some bar with his/her friends. This may not be HIMYM approved, but I'd like to think Ted would do the same if he taught high school instead of college.

3. THEY NEED CAFFEINE

They may not drink "tantrum", but they sure do drink coffee. It's a highly important part of a teacher's life, which means you may be making a few mid-day coffee runs if they really need it!

4. THEY HAVE TO BEHAVE IN PUBLIC (AND SO DO YOU)

We see his students everywhere. At the grocery store, the mall, the movie theater, even Chipotle (the most sacred of all places). And while at first it was cute to see an awkward teenager approach someone he/she considered a mentor and role model, after two years it has become increasingly more annoying. I had to say farewell to being able to run to the grocery store in a hoodie without wearing a bra, drinking in public, or doing anything stupid in public for that matter.

5. THEY CAN BE A KNOW IT ALL.

This especially happens when they're talking about something related to their field. And much like Ted's rants about architecture and calligraphy, it may induce a few eyeball rolls.

6.SOMETIMES THE KIDS ARE GOING TO COME FIRST, AND THAT'S OKAY

There are going to be days when he gets to school an hour before and stays three hours after helping a struggling student comprehend a difficult concept. You have to be able to roll with the chaotic schedule of a teacher’s life if you’re going to date one.

7. THEY PROBABLY LAY LOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Ya know, to avoid any "Robin Sparkles" scandals. Which means you can't obsessively stalk them on any social media platform *sad face*.

8. THEY'RE BASICALLY PERFORMERS

Can you imagine public speaking in front of a group of bored, sassy, self-absorbed teenagers every day? That's enough to give any normal person nightmares, but amazingly teachers do it day-in and day-out. Which means they're probably going to have days where they just want to come home and not do anything. So pop in a movie, make some popcorn, and let both of your brains relax for a bit.

9. KNOW THAT YOU ARE DATING A SUPERHERO

A very tired, very mentally drained superhero... but a superhero nonetheless.