Just for the record – this is not an article about the ever-so trashy show, Cheaters… or high school students who copy homework from each other… or your friend who always steals money in monopoly (although we will probably burn them one day too). This is an article about people who cheat on their significant others. And with the recent news of KStew cheating on RPatts (ugh, abbreves), cheating has become a hot topic. Like hotter than it ever was before. And we hate it.
No one deserves to be cheated on. If you’re dating someone – especially if you tell that person you love him or her – you should dedicate yourselves to your them and them only. This doesn’t mean you have to spend all your time with your significant other… but you shouldn’t be spending romantic time with anyone else. You shouldn’t be talking to anyone else with thoughts of getting with them. And you certainly shouldn’t be hooking up with anyone else – whether you ‘just kissed’ or had sex. It’s not okay.
Think of how you would feel if your S/O was cheating on you? Not very good, right? You’d be pissed. You would want to ruin the ‘other girl’ or the ‘other guy.’ So why would you do it to the person who loves you in return?
Of course it’s normal to develop feelings for people. It’s even normal to flirt. And you can’t help who you’re attracted to. So if you find yourself attracted to more than one person at the same time, that’s fine. But if you want to act on the attraction (whether it’s an innocent FB message that turns to texting on the reg… or an innocent game of flip cup that turns to hooking up in the bathroom), end your relationship. At least take a break until you figure out what you want. What if you make a mistake with some random while dating someone? You will be labeled a cheater and lose your bf or gf forever – even if you later realize you made a mistake. At least if you break up with your S/O first you’ll have a better chance of getting back together with your now-ex if you figure out that’s what you want… Oh, and you won’t forever be thought of as a cheater.
Cheating hurts. Period. There’s no way around it. Sure you can keep it secret, but chances are it will blow up in your face. And if it hasn’t yet, don’t think you’re in the clear for good. Your secret will get out and no one will want to date you. If you cheated once, there’s a good chance you’ll do it again… and again… and again. But when you find the person you really want to be with (or when you figure out you really want to be with someone), you won’t want to cheat on them (ever again – if you already did before). You’ll have no interest in anyone else.
So if you’re even considering cheating – whether it’s emotionally, by talking to someone you have mutual feelings for daily, or physically, by hooking up with someone only once or multiple times – become single. You shouldn’t be in a relationship with anyone. I don’t care if you don’t want to risk losing this person. Don’t. Keep. Them. Around. If you really care about this person, you should want to let them have the chance to be interested in other people – and get over you before they fall any harder. We’re twentysomethings. We’re college grads. We’re getting older everyday and soon will start forming families. There’s no need for silly, non-serious relationships anymore. There’s no need for lying. Be an adult and have an adult relationship – or have no relationship at all.
To all you cheaters out there – the hurt you cause our friends, family, co-workers, and peers is not okay. And that is why we are putting you in the burn book. You don’t have to be in this book forever, but until your sex-addiction goes away and/or you realize you need to be single, you’ll be burned. So please – DON’T cheat. No one likes a cheater. Not even the one who’s cheating (they hate themselves just as much). So if you want to be a good person, have some fun without hurting those who love you, and get yourselves out of our burn book, just stop cheating. You’ll be better off. Really.
