Styling will be easier when your hair is full and pliable. Go ahead and clean it with shampoo and conditioner, then comb your hair to remove tangles. If your hair dries and you find it tough to cut, you can dampen it again by spritzing it with a spray bottle. Cutting your own hair is tricky at first, so it's best to ask someone to help you. However, if help isn't available, a handheld mirror can work. Hold it as you work towards the back of your head. It'll help you see what you're doing. Afterwards, you can use it to inspect the cuts you made and find any areas that need to be corrected. Adjustable electric clippers are your best tool for achieving a fade. Get ones that come with several guards because you'll need to attach the guards to your clippers when you want to cut hair at different lengths.  These different lengths are what will help you achieve that gradual length transition that the fade is known for. Some clippers may also have a bracket setting. When you flip off the setting, the blades cut off about an extra ⅛ an inch (3.2 mm), making it perfect for achieving lengths between those cut by guards. The fade is a short hair style, so if you currently have long hair, you'll want to remove the bulk of it before getting started on your fade. Pull hair back into a low ponytail and secure it with an elastic or clip. Cut the ponytail below the elastic or clip. Then hold out sections of hair and cut them to the desired starting length. Base this length on your balance. If you've decided to make the top of your hair 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) high, then make sure that you don't cut your long hair any shorter than that length. Start with the hair on the crown (top center) of your head. Hold your comb flat and sweep it over your head to pick up hair. Use scissors to cut the hair to the desired length. Continue working until you get to rounded portion of your head. Don't cut the hair below it.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary -- Wash and comb your hair. Bring a handheld mirror. Make sure you have different clipper lengths. Cut long hair with scissors if necessary. Trim the top of your head.


This is likely to occur pretty early on in the relationship, or at least one of you might be thinking about it.  It’s important to spell out what you don’t want and what you might be open to. You might be embarrassed, and it might feel somehow un-sexy, but the more you communicate about it, the easier things will be in the long run.   It’s less than ideal to interrupt with ground rules during a makeout session. If things are going too fast, though, don’t be afraid to tell your partner that you’re not comfortable.  It’s more important to be safe.  It’s okay to say, “I don’t want to go this fast right now.  Can we go back to what we were doing before and talk about it later?” If you think that you want to go further and your partner hasn’t shown any signs one way or the other, you should bring this up as well.  It’s okay to be matter-of-fact: “I’m interested in having sex in the future, but I don’t want to go faster than you’re comfortable with.  What are your feelings about having sex?” If you are both on the same page and want to have sex, make sure that you use proper protection .  This can mean condoms, dental dams and birth control in some cases. If one of you has had sexual partners before, they should get an STD test at a local clinic. If something that they do bothers you, don’t let it fester.  No one is a mind-reader, and might be surprised at how difficult it is to tell what you are thinking. Try to be open about your feelings.  If you think that your partner cares more about hanging out with friends than spending time with you, don’t immediately accuse them of neglecting you. Instead, try to find a way for your partner to do what they want while still meeting your needs.  For example, “We haven’t hung out much this week.  Can we have a date on Saturday?” You should be able to disagree about small things without fighting.  If anyone is trying to control what the other person thinks or does, it can quickly become an abusive relationship. You should never be afraid of what your partner thinks. You should not be dating anyone you do not respect.  This is why the friends stage is so important-- you have to think about your partner as a person, not just as a romantic object.   Listen to your partner. If you’re dismissing things that they do and calling them stupid, you aren’t respecting them.  If you make fun of them to your friends, or don’t defend them to your friends, you aren’t respecting them. If your partner forces you to do something that you do not want to do, emotionally or physically, you should end your relationship immediately.  You deserve someone who respects you and your free will. Search for things that you respect about your partner-- look for talents they might have, and try to notice when they’ve worked hard on something.  When you say, “I really admire your ability to work hard on x”, or “I’ve never seen someone so great at x”, your partner will notice, and by searching, you will see them as more capable too. Everyone needs alone time, or time to spend with other people.  If you become intensely jealous or possessive of your partner’s time, they might start to feel trapped and controlled. If it makes you uncomfortable that your partner is spending time with someone, it might be best to just tell them how you feel. For example, “I get jealous when you spend so much time talking to this person. I just need a reminder that you aren’t interested in anybody else.”
++++++++++
One-sentence summary --
Establish ground rules for sex. Communicate with your partner. Respect them. Trust them.