Before we say I do: Cohabitation before marriage.

Back in the time of our parents and our parents' parents, cohabitating between couples was a major sin. "Shacking up," as my parents called it, was extremely frowned upon. Now that times have changed, more and more young couples are moving in with one another before they exchange vows. Couples usually decide to cohabitat, so they can get to know one another's living habits, which is not exactly a bad idea, you don't really know someone until you live with them. Personally, I am all for living with you partner before marriage. It is better do it before you get married, than marry the person and realize you cannot deal them. However, a study done by Sharon Sassler at the Ohio State University has caused me to lean differently. The study suggests that couples who live together before marriage may be less likely to eventually marry than previously believed. Only about 40 percent of cohabiting couples studied ended up marrying within four to seven years. And 42 percent of cohabiting couples disagreed about the future of their relationship and ended it. Overall, the study shows that living together is not necessarily a transitional period that leads to marriage, but it is an alternative to being single or married. So no couple really knows which end of the spectrum they fit in until they get married; are they the 40 percent who end up marrying one another or are they the ones that break up. It all depends one the strenght of your relationship, and if that person really is the one for you.

For more information about Sassler's study please visit http://www.oso.edu/units/research