It’s Springtime, which means that love is in the air – or something. As the weather slowly begins to warm up and we shed our heavy winter jackets, it can feel like everything is imbued with a new sense of possibility – including our love lives. The days are longer, our romantic senses are tingling and it may just feel like we’re about to meet “The One.” Cue: Spring Fever.

Whether we like to admit it or not, Spring Fever is a real thing. In general terms, spring fever refers to an onset of psychological and physiological symptoms associated with the arrival of spring. Its symptoms include a flushed face, increased heart rate, restlessness, daydreaming, and, of course, an increase in sexual appetite. According to science, the increase of daylight triggers a change in the amounts of hormones our brains produce, including an altered amount of melatonin, which is a hormone that influences sleep cycles as well as mood changes.

So, while it’s perfectly normal to feel a bit more amorous than usual with the arrival of Spring, those perky hormones have a way of playing tricks on our hearts and minds. Is it true love or merely a case of Spring Fever?

Here’s a few things to consider –

1. Are you attracted to them emotionally and intellectually or do you just want to rip their clothes off?

Good question.

Let’s start with this: there’s absolutely nothing wrong about wanting to rip your date’s clothes off. You should be physically attracted to the people you date (otherwise, what’s the point?) In other words, it’s OK if your date is purely a “spring fling” – embrace it, have fun and allow it to run it’s course.

But, if you’re looking for more than just a springtime roll in the hay – a.k.a a lasting relationship – there has to be something more than sexual attraction to make things work. Do you connect with them intellectually? What about emotionally? (And no, I don’t mean that you “love” their abs.)

When you crawl out from under that pile of sheets, do your values and interests align? Do you guys want similar things out of life? If you answer “yes” to these questions, there’s a good chance that you have the makings of a relationship. But if the answer is “no,” don’t fret – enjoy the dating experience for what it is. When the seasons change you can both make like Jay-Z and move “on to the next one.”

2. Are they seeing other people? What about you?

There’s also nothing wrong with seeing more than one person at the same time – provided you keep the lines of communication open and aren’t being shady about it. But, before you fall head over spring for your loverboy or lovergirl, you might want to check in with them to make sure you’re both on the same page. For example, if you’ve decided that you only want to see them but they’re still content to be dating other people, there’s a good chance you don’t view the relationship in the same way – and that’s OK. It’s better to know exactly what’s going on between you, rather than going in blind thinking that your spring fling is something that it’s not.

3. Have you discussed commitment?

Let me rephrase this: have you had the talk? You know the one where you decide to be exclusive? If you’re both not seeing anyone else and have come to an understanding that you only want to see each other, that’s a really positive step forward. It could mean that what you have together isn’t just a spring fling but something with lasting potential. Hooray!

However, if you haven’t had the talk yet – or you have broached the subject and the other person has told you that they’re “just not ready for something serious” or “they’re enjoying things the way they are” – there’s a good chance that what you’re dealing with is a spring fling. Take what they say at face value and enjoy the experience for what it is.

4. Are things moving really fast?

You’ve only been dating a few weeks and you’re already talking about making a major commitment like moving in together, adopting a pet or planning a six month long hot air balloon trip together – or all of the above. That’s a good thing…right? Well, not exactly. As mentioned above, those heady hormones that make us feel all warm, fuzzy and googly eyed in the Spring can also cloud our judgement. If a relationship is moving really, really, fast (ie. you’re already researching moving companies and it’s only been a few dates), it could be a sign that what you’re dealing with is lust not love. True love isn’t in a rush, so don’t be afraid to slow things down before you put a downpayment on that hot air balloon.