Lily Rouff

An Inside Look at Informal Mentorship at DuckDuckGo

An Inside Look at Informal Mentorship at DuckDuckGo As you may know, Girl Develop It (GDI) HQ works on a fully distributed team. So do our friends at DuckDuckGo, the internet privacy company that empowers you to seamlessly take control of your…

When You Get Dumped, Here Are 4 Things You're Totally Allowed To Do To Cope

OK, so your partner just broke up with you, and you're really sensitive and heartbroken. I get it. But, I'm here to tell you this is actually great. As much as getting dumped hurts (sh*t, it really hurts), it can lead to a whole new chapter for you. …

9 Red Flags In An Argument You Shouldn't Ignore, According To Experts

Being with someone can be total bliss. Having a partner means getting to divide chores, having someone to hang with and confide in, and having a person to shower you with love. On the flip side, the high stakes involved with bringing another person …

When Setting Boundaries In Your Relationship, Here's How To Approach It With Your Partner

The other night, my boyfriend picked up my laptop and asked for the password. My first thought: Are you bonkers? I offered to enter it for him (instead of saying what I was thinking out loud), and he honestly seemed a little jilted. For me, the idea …

How To Deal With Gaslighting In A Relationship, According To People Who've Been There

There's this not-so-funny stereotype in our society that women are insane (or too emotional, too reactive, too sensitive... the list goes on). Many of the guys I have dated have almost used the terms "female" and "crazy" synonymously. Yeah, not cool. …

Why Does Rejection Hurt So Much? Here's Why It's So Painful, According To Experts

After public speaking, being rejected is universally one of our greatest fears. (It might actually even be the reason why public speaking is so scary.) Allowing yourself to be vulnerable and not knowing how what you are putting out there will be …

5 Last-Minute Things To Do On Valentine's Day With Your Boyfriend Or Girlfriend That Are Romantic AF

Does anyone else feel like you just got through Christmas, and then, wham, it's Feb. 14? Once New Year's Eve passes, we all take a collective sigh of relief that the maddening, chaotic holiday season is no longer upon us. But if you forgot about that …

6 Valentine's Day 2018 Ideas For Him That He'll Never Forget

Women sometimes get a bad rap for being hard to understand, but the women I've encountered are all pretty straightforward when it comes to expressing their emotion. The men I know, on the other hand, can be like sealed boxes that need to be pried …

5 Last-Minute Gifts To Send Your Partner On Valentine's Day That Aren't Flowers, But Just As Good

I'm a natural-born planner. I get a little rush over a well-executed itinerary or structured to-do list (just thinking about crossing off completed tasks brings me joy). In other words, every gift on my holiday list is already wrapped about a month …

5 Last-Minute Flower Delivery Services For Valentine's Day, Because There's Still Time

What's keeping you up at night this February? If the answer is that lovey-dovey holiday Valentine's Day, you're totally not alone. Sure, it sounds sweet and all, but figuring out the perfect gift to express the right level of love can feel like a lot …

10 Valentine's Day Ideas In A Long-Term Relationship That Are Low-Key, But Still Thoughtful

So you've been with your SO for so long that it feels like you've gone through a thousand Valentine's Days together. Yeah, I totally know what that feels like (cue tiny violin). While it is envy-inducing that you guys have made it into the bliss that …

6 Red Flags They're In Love With You, Even Though You Want To Keep Things Casual

In an ideal world, we'd all come into relationships with clear intentions and total alignment on what both parties hope to get out of the partnership. But things don't always go as planned, especially when sex, emotions, and life in general are …

Do Athletes Use Dating Apps In The Olympic Village? Here's What Goes Down During The Olympics

Athletes are many things: ambitious, driven, determined, focused, methodic, hard-working, and attractive. So. Insanely. Attractive. Seriously, how is it that every athlete seems to have the most beautiful face and irresistible swagger to go along …

5 Gifts To Buy Yourself On Valentine's Day, Because You Deserve All The Love

When did this ridiculous myth get started that Valentine's Day is a celebration reserved exclusively for couples? Sure, girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands, wives, hookup buddies, and all other varieties of the romantically labeled expect some sign of …

7 Red Flags About The Person You're Dating, Based On How They Treat Other People

You've done it. Against all odds, you've found the seemingly perfect person. All of your dates have been amazing, filled with endless hours of deep conversation and sweet affections. And how is it possible that you have, like, everything in common? …

6 First Date Expectations That Are Genuinely OK To Have

The best part about a first date is that it's a totally blank slate, with a world of (hopefully romantic) possibilities to be had. The worst part about a first date is that, yeah, it's a blank slate. When we meet up with someone new, most of the …

Who Your Valentine Will Be, Based On Your Zodiac Sign

The yearly love fest is upon us once more as Feb. 14 fast approaches, which might have you in a mild panic if you are still without a Valentine. And while it is totally acceptable and empowering to celebrate self-love and spend the big day solo, …

8 Signs Of A Toxic Relationship That You Might Not Realize At First

Girl meets person. Girl falls madly in love. Cue a steamy, window-fogging sex scene, followed by some quickly-resolved, tiny disagreement, just in time to ride happily ever after into the sunset. Are you puking? I'm puking. Idyllic movie versions of …

Is It Ever OK To Break Up With Someone Over Text? Here Are 4 Times When The Answer Is Yes

As the generation that grew up with internet, social media, and mobile devices, communicating through technology comes as second nature to most of us. We do everything on our phones. Try explaining to your grandma that you can order food, buy a new …

Running Into Your Ex After A Breakup Can Make You Feel These 4 Unexpected Things

Whether you were dumped or you did the dumping, breakups are not easy. Untangling your life from someone you shared everything with is a grueling process — one that breathes truth into the saying "time heals all." There are a ton of steps you can …