How Summer Flings Happen:

• The heat is on. In summer the temperature rises, and our clothes come off. When you’re packing up your wool turtlenecks and unpacking your bikinis, it’s only natural to think about rubbing in the suntan oil. For those of us a bit too old for Spring Break, there’s still a bit of a Girl or Guy Gone Wild in all of us, and summer is the time it usually comes out.
• Our guards are down. With so much summer fun to be had -- parties, laxer work hours, weekend getaways, lots of tasty frozen drinks that go down easy-- it’s no wonder so many of us loosen our inhibitions and decide to exchange the long term pressures of meeting Mr. or Mrs. Right for the short-terms pleasures of the here and now.
• Our bodies lead ourselves. Sweat emits “steroid hormones,” that contain estrogen and testosterone, so there’s literally more sex in the air for our noses to detect. And sunlight also stimulates the pineal gland, which regulates body rhythm in a way that makes us more relaxed. So our bodies are more tuned in to the possibility of a fling.
• We’re not playing on home court. Between summer shares, long weekend getaways and day-trips, we’re often away from home, and studies show that you’re much more likely to have a short-term fling and lower your standards when not on home turf.

Signs that your romance is just a summer fling:

• Your time together is all about having fun in the here and now, and it feels more like a “recreation plan” than actually dating. You know it’s a fling when instead of meeting the parents you’re meeting in the Jacuzzi.
• You’re Wasting Away in Margaritaville. When mixing cocktails and mixing fluids go hand in hand, it’s a fling.
• You’re hanging out with someone you normally wouldn’t consider dating or being attracted to, or goes against your better instincts: like jumping on the back of a bad boy’s Harley.
• You’re rubbing in the suntan oil, and then some: In our age of casual sex, going too fast too soon is often a sign that this is about the here and now, as opposed to the future.
• Your time together often starts with a group activity, like a party or softball game, as opposed to planning ahead and making dates just for the two of you.

How to make your Summer Fling last into the fall (and beyond):

• Don’t have a summer fling with someone you wouldn’t consider dating or who doesn’t meet your relationship standards. You can’t turn a frog into a prince, but you can turn your fling into a relationship by having it with someone who has all the qualities you’re looking for.
• Don’t treat it like a fling; treat it like any other romance. Make dates that involve more than just hanging out and drinking, or going to someone’s roof deck for a party.
• Just because you’re showing more skin doesn’t mean you need to get physical. Statistically, short-terms fling do not evolve into romances, so you need to be thinking and acting for the long-term
• Keep your game on the home court. The challenges of turning a long-distance fling into a full-time relationship are difficult.
• Express yourself: if you’re hot and bothered this summer, and I mean bothered by the fact that you want more than just a fling, let your feelings be known.

If You’re in a Relationship:

• It may be time for a summer fling—with each other. From taking a long weekend without the kids, to putting on your flirty sundress, to rubbing the sun tan oil into her tan lines, to buying a love kit from bootyparlor.com, summer is a great time to let your relationship sizzle again.