Why dating your best friend is awesome

I know it sounds cliche, they say never date your best friend. But here's why you should consider it!

They're familiar with your bad side: Let's face it, during the first few months of dating someone new, it's easy to hold yourself together and pretend like you don't have a dark side (everybody has one). You downplay your insecurities in hopes that he won't see you as clingy, and you suppress the fact that you occasionally get moody, jealous, or pointlessly angry. With a friend-to-boyfriend, he's not only aware of your personal weaknesses, but he knows how to respond to them in a way that is constructive to the relationship and to your desire to improve yourself.

You're more or less aware of each other's relationship history: You have probably discussed your past relationships with the ease and honesty that friends share, which means you'll have a very clear idea of what to expect if indeed your pal becomes your main man.

You're comfortable with each other: It takes a few weeks (if not longer) to feel completely relaxed around someone new. Should you eat ice cream from the container in front of him? Should you reveal that you're a thirtysomething who still rereads Harry Potter on occasion? When dating someone who started out as a friend, you can skip the neurotic "I need to impress him" phase and go straight to wearing no makeup and nerding out together on Saturdays spent indoors.

It's exciting: Dating a friend might seem less glamorous than falling in love at first sight, but what's more suspenseful than decoding a friend's flirty mixed signals for signs of romantic intentions? If the relationship goes well, you'll be swept away at how a good friend turned out to be an even better boyfriend.

There's always something to talk about: Aren't you ready for someone who still makes for good company even after the passion starts to plateau? Plus, just imagine the energy that you and a friend-turned-boyfriend will share after months (even years!) of pent-up romantic tension.

THE ONLY DOWNFALL... If it ends bad, you've lost your best friend.