The beginning of a relationship can make you feel like you're on top of the world, but be careful because this high can also cause you to make some relationship-ending mistakes. These are some of the things that can throw a bucket of cold water on a budding romance:

Too Much Contact
He may be thinking about you all day but that doesn't mean he wants to hear from you all day. Excessive texting is by far the most damaging of all forms of early communication. The first few you send will be cute, but by the 7th "What are you doing?" of the day, he will be annoyed. Don't give me that look, you know you've done it. The same goes for emails and calls - less is definitely more. Remember that guys like a challenge, and when you're bothering him all day you're no longer one.

Not Having your Own Life
I cannot tell you how many women I've known who want to do stuff with their new boyfriend ALL THE TIME. Some even get a little put off when he makes plans to just do things with friends and go so far as to shoehorn their way into the plans, which not only makes him feel suffocated but also turns the poor guy into the jackass who brought his girlfriend along. Girls, guys need time alone with their friends to do guy stuff. This is not personal and in no way means he doesn't like you. One more time, this has nothing to do with you. If you really want to raise his interest, keep doing things with your friends like you did before he came along. He'll respect that you have a life and will make an effort to be part of it.

Being a Cop
You're not his mother and you're not a cop so don't try to keep tabs on where he's been and what he'll be doing. He has a life, you have a life, he'll tell you the interesting parts later. And don't go snooping through his Facebook friends, car, closets, medicine cabinet, or anywhere else for clues about what makes him tick. If he catches you doing this he will think you're a crazy stalker. And he will be right.

Being a Princess
I know you girls are bombarded with the princess fantasy ever since you're old enough to get plopped in front of your first Disney DVD, but let me share a little secret - I've never met a single guy in my entire life who wants to date a princess. To us princesses are high-maintenance, high-drama, pains in the ass. We would much rather spend time with someone who's mellow, flexible, and can relax enough to fit in with our friends.

Going too Fast
I remember dating a girl who, through some tricky wordplay, basically forced me to admit that she was my girlfriend one morning before I'd gotten my wits about me. We'd only been going out for a few weeks and I was like "Sure, I guess..." to which she got really excited, like it was a legally-binding contract or something. I also remember looking for a window to get some fresh air in the room. When you push things, guys may tell you what you want to hear but they'll also feel pressured and may start looking for ways out. Try to avoid these phrases that raise a red flag when spoken too early in a relationship. Calling him up and saying "Hi, it's me" after just the first, or second, or third date. Or saying 'we' a lot. If you're wondering about plans, ask "What's going on this weekend?" not "What are we doing this weekend?" Speed kills.

Being a Doormat
Don't put up with any crap. Just like you girls test us (we know you do it), guys will test things out to see what they can get away with. Your answer should be very little. He needs to understand that if he doesn't treat you with respect then he's not part of your plans. It's as simple as that. Don't be angry or controlling, that will drive him away, instead be firm and confident. For example, if he waits until the last minute to make plans with you don't say "You called too late, forget it!" but rather "Sorry I already made plans with ..., give me a little more notice next time and I'd love to." This goes for every aspect of the relationship; if you ever feel like you're not receiving the same amount of respect you're giving, stand up for yourself.

Being Easy
We're all programmed to want things that are difficult to catch, it makes them seem more valuable, right? If a girl is intimate with a guy right out of the gate he will assume she's done the same thing many, many times before and will move her from the 'Girlfriend' category to the 'Easy Sex' category. It doesn't matter what "an amazing" connection you're feeling, he's gotta work for it or he will think less of you. Is it fair? No. Is it reality? Yes.

The basic theme of this post is that guys don't really ask for a lot, just someone they can get along with, respect, and whose maintenance doesn't turn into a second job. So relax and have fun with us!