don't date him?

Rewind to fourth grade. We had just rearranged our desks, and I thought I scored a killer position between (1) my then-best friend, and (2) my then-biggest crush ever, Patrick O'Sullivan. That was, however, only until 10 minutes into our new seating arrangement, when my friend decided to tell Patrick I had a crush on him.
So awkward. And we had to sit like that for an entire trimester.
It's funny that when you're young, most of your friends want nothing more than to find you a boyfriend, even if it means embarrassing you during a science lesson or forging your signature on a passed note.
But, as you get older, it seems like your friends are often the first ones to caution you against potential heartbreak. Sometimes justifiably. This week's column is about the role that rumors play in our romantic relationships, especially with the influx of "reputation management" Web sites like Don't Date Him Girl.
There, you can get actual testimonials from ex-girlfriends of fully identified lying, cheating losers.
I can't think of one example in which my friends weren't justified in advising me not to date a questionable guy. That doesn't mean I followed their advice, though. Do I regret it? I don't know. I'm still a firm believer that a big part of life is making mistakes, developing your own instincts and not always banking on someone to confirm you're on the right track.
When, if ever, is it OK to take a friend's relationship advice? And when should you give advice of your own?
Thanks for reading. Happy Thursday.