12 Things You Should Know About Your Partner 6 Months Into a Relationship, According to a Couples Counselor

The courting phase has come to an end and you’re starting to really settle into your new(ish) relationship. Indeed the six month mark is something of a milestone since it’s around this time that the oxytocin-fueled rush of infatuation begins to abate and a new deeper, romantic connection starts to replace those love-at-first-sight feelings. With that said, go ahead and congratulate yourself on making it this far. Then, ensure you’re on the right track to celebrate future milestones together by considering the following things you should know about your partner six months into a relationship, per licensed professional counselor Jeff Guenther.

“As a couple’s counselor, I feel like these are some important basics that you’ll want to build on as you continue your relationship,” the therapist recently said in a TikTok video that has amassed a staggering 1.5 million likes. “If you and your partner can answer nine out of 12 correctly, you’re doing great,” he adds.

Ready? Scroll through the list below and see how you and your beloved make out.

Hopefully you do the former, and not the latter.

If you or your partner can’t answer this question, you have two choices: Start showing more interest in one another or reevaluate the relationship.

Time to dig into the good, the bad and the ugly.

Receiving unsolicited advice? Finding dirty socks on the floor? Both? Whatever the answer, knowledge is power.

Part of having a meaningful connection with another person involves understanding how they connect to the world.

We suggest you let gut instinct and context determine whether or not “meeting you” is an acceptable response.

The forecast is sunny if you and your partner have core values in common.

See question number seven for clues.

The key to being there for your partner on a bad day is knowing whether they want to talk it out or process their feelings privately. (And if you guess wrong, chances are they’ll let you know.)

Getting to know you, getting to know all about you...

Again, knowledge is power.

Like do they want to go out for a run by themselves or snuggle up on the sofa with you and a glass of wine? Even a great day can be draining, and we all unwind in different ways; when you know your partner’s preference you have an opportunity to accommodate their chill time as a gesture of caring and support.

So there you have it—the most important things to know about your partner six months into a relationship. That said, if some of these questions have you scratching your head, don’t panic. “If you don’t know these things, don’t freak out,” Guenther says. “Just ask each other.” In other words, couples who haven’t yet reached this degree of intimacy aren’t doomed to fail, but it’s probably a good idea to use the above information to get some conversations started so you can strengthen the bond between you and your SO.