I was sort of cavalier about the whole situation when I started seriously dating. I had already lost it in an unfortunate incident at the age of fourteen after one of my first experiences with drugs and drinking. It wasn't the first, or last time someone had tried to take advantage of me.
The first time I chose to have sex with someone, I was almost seventeen and he had just turned twenty. I was under the misconception that we would stay together for a long time. I can't say that I regret it, it wasn't a bad experience and in terms of emotionally giving it up, it could have been much worse. I feel that he was the one that took it, because of what had happened in the past. He may not have deserved it, but I did still care about him for quite some time afterwards.
I do think I have let my situation have an effect on things for me since then, though. I find that there are probably situations where I give in too easily because it just doesn't feel like that much of a big deal. I don't think that I would have waited until I was married, because, I do feel that I have been in situations where having sex with the person I was with wasn't the wrong thing to do, but I did it too soon.
The next time I'm in a relationship, I was planning on not doing it too soon becasue I don't want to ruin things if I feel like it's someone I could be with for a long time. If I think I'm gonna stay with them, then, waiting is just fine if it doesn't seem right.