5 Ways to make your summer fling last

Go on an actual date.

Makeout sessions don't count. If you want to see if your summer fling will last, scope out a space that's conducive to conversation. For the romance to last, you need to click on more than just a physical level. Chill at a cafe, have drinks on a patio -- but whatever you do, choose a location where you can talk. You'll find out if you have anything else in common besides a love for the beach and pool parties. The more you get to know about each other, the better the chances are of your fling turning into something more significant.

Introduce him to your BFFs.

Do your girls approve? One way to see if your fling has post-summer potential is to gather your best buds, hit a patio and invite the boy in question. It's a great sign if he's comfortable with your friends and they have a good time with him.

Take off your rose-colored glasses.

Summer is a relaxed, easy time of year. You and your fling probably spend a lot of time in picture-perfect settings, feeling great because you're at the beach, on a boat or sitting by the lake. Real life means stress, deadlines and, come fall, lots more layers of clothing. If you want to take your summer love into the next few seasons, you need to realize things will be different. Just like there are probably certain sides of yourself you haven't shown him, there will be things about him you don't know and that may take some getting used to. Not everything is as simple as it is in the summer.

Try an end-of-summer weekend getaway.

If you can make it through an entire weekend together, minus too many awkward silences or arguments about what to do, that could mean post-summer relationship potential. Spending a few hours together here and there is nothing compared to three days straight of each other's company. If, at the end of it, you're still smitten, you could be in love.

Tell him how you feel.

This one may seem obvious, but often, people don't share this one piece of crucial info with their summer crushes. There seems to be some unwritten rule that says summer flings have an end-of-August expiry date, but rules were made to be broken, right? Don't just assume things will end as soon as your vacation is over. Tell him you're hoping to continue seeing him, and see if he feels the same way. Sure, it's a bold move with potential for rejection -- but if you don't ask, you don't get!

More dating and summer flings:

• 6 Types of guys you should hook up with this summer
• Friends with benefits: The next step
• One night stands: Is it ever worth it?