Dating a Girl Who’s on the Rebound: How to Date Her and Not Get Hurt

She’s finally free and looking for a rebound. You could be the guy she chooses. Remember, to protect yourself when dating a girl who’s on the rebound.

You’ve liked this girl for years, but she’s always been in a relationship. Lucky for you, she’s now single. This is your time to swoop in and start dating a girl who’s on the rebound. Sounds pretty effortless, right? You just show up, and she grabs you by the shirt and says, “I’ve been waiting for you this entire time.”

Reality check… It’s probably not going to happen like that. And if it does happen like that, great! However, you can’t go into this relationship blindly. You may think rebound relationships are sex-filled and easy, but unless you know how to protect yourself, you leave yourself open to a world of hurt. [Read: How to know you’re in a rebound relationship]

Dating a girl who’s on the rebound – What you must know

So, before you rush into a rebound relationship, you need to know a couple of things. Not a lot of things, but things to keep in mind before becoming a rebound. There’s nothing wrong with being a rebound, if that’s what you’re thinking. It’s easy to develop feelings for people who don’t want the same things as you, especially in relationships.

As long as you think about it carefully before you get into it, your rebound relationship should be smooth sailing. Just be prepared. The rules for dating a girl who’s on the rebound are a little different.

#1 Where are you emotionally? If you want to date a girl who’s on the rebound, you need to make sure you’re emotionally prepared for it. She just left a relationship, so she’s probably not thinking about anything long term. And if she is, she’s scared to be alone and you shouldn’t date her anyway. She may not be dating you for the right reasons. [Read: Relationship addiction and all the signs she’s a serial dater]

#2 Don’t rush. Not because of her, but because of you. Listen, if she’s trying to get over her ex then there’s no point trying to push her into a relationship with you. Keep it casual, have fun, but don’t rush this. You need to take it slow and make sure you protect yourself from getting hurt.

#3 You’re a stepping stone. There are some cases where rebounds turn into long term relationships but more often than not, you’re a stepping stone to the next relationship. You need to understand you’re meant to have fun with her and that’s it. She’s not looking for someone serious to be with. She’s out on the prowl. [Read: 15 rebound relationship signs to watch out for]

#4 She’s not completely over her ex. No matter what she says, she’s not over her ex. You’re a rebound which means this breakup is fresh. If she’s telling you she’s fine and ready for a serious relationship, she’s lying. Remember, no matter what she says, she is definitely not over her ex. [Read: 14 subtle signs your girlfriend is not over her ex]

#5 Know what she wants. After you figure out what you want, make sure it’s on the same page as her. No one wants to ask, but you need to do this. Or else, you’ll never know what she is looking for. Does she want a friends-with-benefits relationship? How does she feel about you? Find out the answers to these questions to figure out your next move.

#6 Weigh your risks. People aren’t always straight up, even when you’re open and honest with them. Weigh the risks of this rebound relationship. Is it really worth it for you to start dating her? Do you have feelings for her? If you do, do you really want to get caught up in a relationship she isn’t fully invested in.

#7 Know your boundaries. You figured out what she wants from the relationship and you know what you want from it. So, now it’s time to create boundaries for yourself. Are you going to allow sleepovers? Will you go on dates or keep it a sex-only relationship? Boundaries are everything if you don’t want to get hurt. [Read: How to set up boundaries in dating]

#8 She may go back to her ex. You don’t want to hear this, but the breakup is fresh, so there’s always a chance she will go back to her ex. Usually, breakups aren’t very clean cut, and it’s not uncommon for people to breakup multiple times before calling it quits. So, this may just be one of those times.

#9 Limit your emotion. You know she’s just got out of a relationship, so there’s no point investing yourself in her. She has a lot of things on her mind, and right now she may not be looking for more drama. She wants something carefree and fun. If you want the same thing, then good. If you want more, don’t do it.

#10 Explore sex. She has a lot of pent-up anger, a lot of emotions going through her, so she’s looking to release it. You can be the person she goes wild with. See? That doesn’t sound so bad, right? It’s a great opportunity to let her go wild and, of course, you enjoy it. [Read: How to know you’re choosing the right rebound girl]

#11 It’s short-term. When it comes to rebound relationships, they don’t usually last. If anything, they’re a couple of months long and filled with sex. In other words, not a lot of talking. Of course, there are exceptions, but don’t go into a rebound relationship thinking it’s going to be the one that’s different from the rest. [Read: Rebound relationship rules to follow for a slam dunk]

#12 You’ll have fun. If you do it right and take the necessary steps to protect yourself, you can have a really good time. It’s not a relationship that’s going to last forever, so you might as well enjoy every moment. Remember, you just need to remind yourself what this relationship is.

No one said dating a girl who’s on the rebound is a bad thing. As long as you set boundaries and expectations, enjoy spending time with her while you can.