Love is not about “good morning” and “goodnight” texts.

In the culture we’ve grown up in, the visual representation of love has changed. With increasing technology, it’s easy to think that because your significant other hasn’t texted you back in the past 20 minutes they’re uninterested or you aren’t important enough. News flash: 99% of the time, it’s not true. People get busy; life happens. Be patient.

Love is not paying for every meal, movie ticket, or date.

So many kids today are growing up thinking that love is about how much money their date spends on them. Not everyone is made of money, and it’s a person’s character that truly matters, not how much money is in their (or their parents’) bank account.

Love is not having to always put your needs aside to please someone else.

Love sometimes means compromise, which means sometimes putting the other person’s needs above your own; but that doesn’t mean you have to live your life not making yourself and your own needs a top priority. It’s okay to want to hang out with other people, have some alone time, or do whatever you want to do without your significant other.

Love is not measured by how many teddy bears, flowers, or chocolates you receive.

Remember to value the little things in life, not just the gifts you get or the dates you go on. Value the sweet gestures, surprises, and happy moments that you and your partner share. Sometimes it’s the small things that make you smile that are the best gifts of all.

Love is not about keeping score against one another for the mistakes you’ve made and the favors you’ve done.

When you resolve an argument, leave it in the past. Learn from your mistakes to better the relationship and move on. It’s not fair to hold a mistake your partner made in the past against them constantly. We’re only human; we’re going to make mistakes. Move on from the past, and don’t keep score. It’s not a game; it’s a relationship.

Love is a verb. It’s how you show someone you care, but on a deeper level. It’s not about how much time you spend together, how much money you spend on each other, or how many favors you do for one another. Love is a feeling unlike any other, one that can take you to your highest highs and your lowest lows. If it’s true love, you’ll ride this wave of emotions because you’ll be feeling things that you’ve never felt before. Love is so much more than the stereotypes that our culture has created about it. Love can be a bumpy ride, but it’s the best one you’ll ever take.