From the way that you posed your question, it seems that you and your boyfriend are looking at moving in together as a trial run. While I realize that many people support the trial run theory, I have only seen it set people up for defeat.

The problem is that those who view moving in together as a trial run — or a preview into what it would be like to be married — have a set of expectations, and therefore a set of deal breakers. It’s like keeping one foot out the door: You have already anticipated the end and allowed yourself the freedom to leave.

Marriage and long-term relationships require deep commitment. You will go through times when you are not sure if you are in love with this person, and you will go through times when you absolutely can’t stand being around them for another minute. It’s much easier to work through the difficult times when both parties are fully committed to being together forever. The first few years of a long-term relationship are the most difficult precisely because it takes such a long time to learn how to argue, what not to say and what not to do to provoke unnecessary arguments (although further down the line, these provocations seem to morph into entertainment for some couples).