New-Love Freak-Outs

Sure, we may act all laid-back, but underneath that cool exterior, we're sometimes quaking in our boots. In fact, in the first few months of a relationship, men are often self-conscious and overly analytical. These are the biggie worries.

YOUR LONG-TERM POTENTIAL
In the beginning, guys aren't exactly planning your future together. But on occasion, a chick does something that shoots up a red flag and makes a dude wonder if he should get out now. Take Glen*, 33: 'A girl I was dating told me that she hated camping, but I love outdoorsy stuff. I started stressing about how we could possibly work out. From then on, every high-maintenance thing she did made me take a step back until I just had to end it.'

IF THE SEX IS GOOD
After a period of being single, most guys are psyched to be getting sex on a consistent basis. Still, he might worry about how his skills stack up. 'When I've just started sleeping with a woman, I don't know what she likes, so I get really paranoid that she's not enjoying herself,' says Peter, 26. So encourage us when we do something right. And if we take a wrong turn, kindly point us in the right direction. It's the best way to ease his anxiety and the only way he'll learn.

HIS EARNING POTENTIAL
If you were looking for a sugar daddy, you wouldn't be meeting guys at Student Night parties. Even so, a part of him stresses that you yearn for a high roller. 'I find myself listening for clues about what kind of lifestyle she wants,' admits Dave, 28. 'If she says she doesn't want to work once she has kids or talks about a fancy trip she took with an ex, I feel inadequate.' To curb his insecurities, keep the money talk to a minimum.

IF YOU'LL GO CRAZY
Call it false advertising. A guy meets a seemingly chill girl, one who comments on the waitress's nice rack and doesn't care what he did at that bachelor party. Fast-forward three months and, suddenly, her true crazy-chick colors start to show. 'I went out with this woman who seemed cool, but overnight, she changed,' says Sam, 24. 'She began breaking into my e-mail, accusing me of cheating. I was like "What the hell happened to my girlfriend?".' Yeah, you could swear up and down that you're not going to lose your mind, but that's what all the crazies say.

*Names have been changed

Author: Devin Friedman