What Did You Find Cute When Dating but Irritating in a Relationship?

At the beginning of a relationship, when your rose-coloured glasses are securely in place, a new partner’s quirks are cute. But as the early stages of dating turn into the harsh realities of a serious relationship, certain behaviours go from endearing to downright irritating.

I, for one, have watched countless love interests grow disillusioned with my red hair after it starts to cover every inch of their home. Or I’ve realised that the wildly funny person I’ve been seeing is actually incapable of ever turning off the jokes. Then there are, of course, the litany of noises that go from “cute” to “insufferable” real quick: Constant humming. Clinical snoring. Sneezing one million times in a row.

So now I’m asking you, Lifehacker readers, to share the last time your rose-coloured glasses lost their rosy tint. What did you find cute in the early days of dating, only to later find irritating in a relationship?

Did something happen after they began to show their gross side, when certain habits go from cute-gross to gross-gross? Was someone’s easy-going vibe actually frustrating whenever you two had to make a decision? Or perhaps someone’s spontaneity began to morph into recklessness? Or — heaven forbid — does your partner do a baby voice?

know I like to romanticize the idea that as a relationship grows, you only grow fonder of your love’s little quirks. In reality, many of us have at one point uttered the phrase: “Well, I thought it was cute at first…” All too often, what was initially endearing becomes less tolerable in a longterm relationship.

Comment below what sorts of things went from cute to irritating over the course of your relationship. Then, I’ll round up the best answers in a separate post next week.