There’s just something about the summertime that kick starts the libido and gets us primed for love.  Perhaps it’s the combination of renewed spirits and bare midriffs or the sound of birds chirping in harmony coupled with the sight of beautifully tanned bodies.

But while the prospect of finding summer love excites our hearts and minds, there can be downsides to having a significant other during the warmer months.  So, before you head out onto the dating scene to find yourself a certified Romeo, check out our pros and cons list below to see if long-term love is really what you want come June 21.

Summer love pros:

1. 1. You’ll finally be able to take part in those adorable couples activities, like picnics in the Public Garden, Friday Night Flicks at the Hatch Shell, and bike rides along the a riverside.
2. 2. You’ll no longer have to fly solo amongst a sea of happy couples at Boston’s annual Fourth of July fireworks display.  Grab a blanket and some Korbel and snuggle up to your man as you watch the sky glitter.
3. 3. As a single person, summer weddings can be unbearable.  Once you officially have a slow dance partner, you’ll no longer have to stare at happy couples on the dance floor or endure an endless barrage of questions from friends and family members about your love life.
5. 4. Weekend bed and breakfast getaways to romantic locales, like Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket, never sounded so good.
6. 5. Long walks on the beach!  Enough said.
7. 6. No more painstaking efforts slathering tanning lotion all over every inch of your body or taming those damn frizzies 24/7 – your boyfriend loves you just as you are.
8. 7. You’ll have one special man to lick lots and lots of ice cream off of!

Summer love cons:

1. All the hotties come out to play during the summer, which means less for you and more for your single girlfriends.  “You can look but you can’t touch” now unfortunately applies to you.

2. Long weekend road trips with your girlfriends just aren’t the same when you’re coupled up.

3. Dancing on top of bars doesn’t really become a taken woman.  And let’s face it: If ever there was a time for some Coyote Ugly action, it’s the hot, sexy evenings of summer.

4. Crazy summer nights on the town with your girlfriends take a backseat to quiet nights in with your beau.  And when your gal pals are all laughing hysterically the next day at brunch about the prior night’s drunken debauchery, you’ll curse the fact that the highlight of your evening was a trip to Blockbuster.

5. Shopping for cute little tops or slinky bikinis just doesn’t have the same allure when you’re taken.

6. Can someone say 31 flavors?!

Neely Steinberg is a freelance writer living in Boston. Check out her blog at: ordinarygalneely.blogspot.com/. She can be emailed at comments@ordinarygal.com.