This is kinda a request for advice and kinda an observation that I think the community could crowd-source to complete, so please bear with me:

I'm 33 and just gotten through my first real relationship (though it was only 6 months) so I have a bit of a unique perspective, as most go through their learning of relationships earlier in their lives, but since mine is fresh, I may be able to see things most people no longer notice in order to help the community as a whole recognize patterns that they themselves see in their releationship that they thought was "uniquely theirs". The timelines are all off the top of my head, but am hoping the community can help update the titles/timelines to be more accurate.

Relationship Stages:

  1. Plate (Timeline 0 to 2 weeks): At this point, everything is fresh and new, you meet up for sex and she generally leaves after. She thinks you're the coolest guy in the world.

  2. Plate Plus (Timeline 2 - 4 weeks): She comes over for sex, but now you like doing more with her, going to dinner or interesting dates. She also stays the night now, and starts "marking her territory" by leaving things such as a toothbrush. She values that you two each have your own lives and don't always need to be together to enjoy each other.

  3. Short term relationship (Timeline 1 - 2 months): More dates. more sex, she's now making a big deal about "what we are", the labels are becoming important "so that she knows what to tell people when they ask if she has a bf". She now wants more of your time. It's either ask her out at this point or quit wasting her time (make it or break it stage).

  4. Long term relationship (Timeline 2 - 6+months): You've officially gone exclusive, she's now moved clothes, a personal bag, maybe a hair dryer, and is setting up shop at your place so she can stay the night and go to work the next morning without having to run home to change. Your eyes start to wander.

Those hobbies she used to think were really cool (jiu-jitsu, music, whatever) are now interfering with the time she wants to spend with you. She says she doesn't want your money, "just" your time (which is more valuable). She now has issues with your kwerks that she thought were cute int he beginning and starts nagging.

  1. Marriage (Timeline unknown): Insufficient data

  2. Endgame (Timeline: Could happen at any moment): She either finds a new guy, finds a job out of town and expects you to move and if you don't she ghosts, you find a better woman and end it, one of you passes or congratulations you spend the rest of your lives in a successful marriage.

I think the first stages surprised me with how quick they happen. For some reason I thought a year could go by before talk of "what are we" starts to happen, but they really push that from the get go, and make you think you are the greatest.

Any feedback or whatever that you think could help guys like me who've never been in a relationship until later in life.