High school boyfriend from 17-18 years old. Didn't learn much aside from my first sexual experiences. He was a good person but I was getting bored and he worked all the time so we never saw each other. What I learned: I value quality time with my partner, and I was not really that ready for sex.
Horrible, unfaithful abusive partner I dated from 18-19 years old. He ended up cheating on me all the time and gave me the herp. I learned so much from that relationship that it almost made the emotional baggage worthwhile. What I learned: That putting up with poor treatment only reinforces that you aren't worth better treatment, that I can't pander to passive aggressiveness, that if he cheated on me once and gave me a curable STD he would cheat on me again and give me an incurable STD, that using alcohol and weed to get through nonconsensual sex with someone isn't healthy, that cheaters cheat because they're cheaters, not because of something I've done, and that i needed to grow a back bone.
Deadbeat, flakey guy I dated for a few months at age 20. We dated for a few weeks before I told him about my baggage from the previous relationship. He said he was cool with all of it but then stopped wanting to touch me and dumped me. What I learned: Maybe I thought I was ready for a relationship, but I was totally rebounding. That there's a good chance a lot of men aren't going to want me, and I should probably be happy being alone and work on my own self esteem. Decided to remain single until I could figure out my penchant for shitty men (which ended up being over a year.) I took up kickboxing, pole dancing, weight lifting, went travelling, and overall did some awesome experiences.
Wonderful, awesome guy I've been dating from age 21-26. I told him about my baggage after a few dates, I was non emotional and matter of fact and he was fine with all of it. I don't sweat the small stuff with him because it doesn't matter once you've sweat the big stuff. I don't fear cheating because he's a good person. We talk about all our issues calmly because passive aggression helps no one. If anything we are too chill, in all honesty. We've both had bad relationships in the past so we tend to shy away from confrontation and accept everything for what it is.