How to make your summer romance last well into PSL season

Even though summer romances can be a blast, we all know the hottest season of the year isn’t going to last forever—and the end of summer often means the end of a fun summer fling. In just a couple of weeks, we’ll be trading in our swimsuits for sweaters and cold brews for PSLs. To be fair, those are not exactly bad trades. But if you happened to find a summer romance this year that you’re really enjoying, the impending change in seasons may have put you into panic mode.

What’s going to happen to your summer love once fall rolls around?

Rest assured—your romance can go the distance. If you want your summer love to last well into PSL season, dating coaches told us there are a few easy things you can do to make it happen.

1 Have meaningful conversations

Summer, by its very nature, makes it easier for you to have more fun and be more carefree. But if you want to make your summer romance last, don’t be afraid to get deep with your bae.

“Try talking to your summer fling about things that are important to you on a deeper level so that you connect in a way that’s more likely to last,” Samantha Daniels, dating expert and founder of Samantha’s Table Matchmaking, told HelloGiggles. “This can build a foundation for your relationship to last well into fall.”

2 Do activities that are unrelated to summer

Engage in various activities with your person that don’t solely revolve around the beach, daytime, and other summer-related things. As relationship coach Stephanie Ganowski explained to HG, “This will psychologically plant the thought in your partner’s head that you are serious about taking this relationship further, and it gives him/her an opportunity to see what dating you will feel like after the summer is over.”

3 Introduce them to your friends

As tempting as it is to spend your summer nights lounging around with your new fling alone, Daniels said now is the time to get social. Introduce them to your group of friends and keep bringing them around. If they become part of your crew, they’re more likely to stick around way beyond summer.

4 Don’t make your summer romance your entire world

“Many people tend to obsess over a new person since dopamine—or ‘love’ chemicals—are high, especially during summer, and positive feelings [are] naturally in the air,” Ganowski said. But don’t get so swept up in all those summer love feels that you completely forget about your life outside of your relationship. Hang out with your friends. Keep doing things you enjoy that don’t involve your summer love. Taking that time apart can help to deepen your bond.

5 Keep your priorities straight

If you want a summer romance that lasts, let your partner see that you prioritize your life and have set goals for your future. According to Ganowski, many of us “lay back” during the summer because it’s summer. “This makes it easy for others, especially our crush, to not take us as seriously,” she said. “Setting goals and working hard to achieve them, regardless of awesome weather, is sexy!” So keep doing you and don’t let the season take your focus away from things that are important to you.

6 Tell them how you feel

This may seem obvious, but Daniels said people don’t often share this one piece of crucial information with their summer love. “Don’t just assume things will end once the season is over,” she advised. “Go ahead and tell them that you’re hoping to continue seeing them and see if they feel the same way.” It may seem scary, but take that risk. You never know what might happen. Plus, it’s way better than spending the rest of the year wondering “what if?”.

7 Make plans for the fall

“It’s always good to have some plans in place as the summer comes to a close,” Daniels said. “This way, the two of you know that you have something upcoming to do together.”

It doesn’t even have to be anything big. Maybe there’s a restaurant opening in October that you’re super excited about or a movie that’s coming out in November that you both want to see. Don’t treat your relationship like it has an expiration date and make plans for the near future.

At the end of the day, making your summer romance last well into fall is pretty simple. “If you don’t want it to be a just a summer romance, then don’t treat it like one,” Ganowski said. Treat it like a relationship that starts any time of the year. Pace yourself and don’t feel rushed to make everything happen within a certain amount of time. If it’s meant to turn into something great, it will.