The cliché when it comes to dating is that "age is just a number." This is also used as something people say when they are experiencing ageism or something related when they get older. Although this is a good mindset, age is absolutely not just a number. Age is only represented by a number. Age is a life experience, love experience, work experience and experiences that can't be rushed or bought in any way.

There are many disadvantages to dating someone that is not your age. I'm not talking about two, three, four or five years apart between both of you. I'm talking 10, 20, or even 30 years apart, and that isn't alright. I'm not here to judge, I'm just making known what you are eventually going to find out the hard way, which is that large age gap relationships almost never work.

Just think about it. If you're 20, you're either in college, just out of college, or just started working. If you date someone that is 30 or 40, they are in the stage of their life where they are already settled down or are seriously looking to soon.

Of course, this isn't an absolute case, but it is generally what happens. Dating someone in a completely different stage of life can be difficult for this reason. You are both looking for different things. Although you may find comfort in each other or like them a lot, the logistics just don't work. If you don't want the same things, a relationship can almost never work.

Also, when it comes to life experiences, one of the most important parts of a relationship is experiencing things and exploring life together. If one person has already been through that stage, it will leave a part of you unsatisfied which can be detrimental to your health and happiness later on. Whether it be as simple as something as your taste in music to your opinions on certain topics that may change generationally. Let's face it. After you reach a certain age, your opinions are pretty much set in their ways and it can be hard to be with someone like that when you are still developing yours.

I'm not discouraging you from dating someone older or younger than you because it would look bad or because of what people might think. In fact, I don't believe it matters what other people think about anything you do. This is really for your own good. I'm also not saying I know what is best. I just want to offer some advice so that you think hard about what you want and make the best decision you can. Love is the most important thing in your life and the earliest you can find it, the better.