What Crushes Do To Us...

Tis the season of heart-warming love letters, secret admirers, and the soul draining ruthlessness of crushes. These things come packaged in heart shaped boxes with ribbon bows laced up top, and while they are mostly sweet, there's always a catch...There's a reason the Jonas Brothers call it a LoveBug. Once you've been bitten, you'll find yourself doing things that you'll later be cringing at. Here are 4 reasons why crushes drive me crazy.

1. THEY ARE SO DISTRACTING

Forget about giving your undivided attention to class lectures, and say hello to zoning out while watching your favorite show and having to rewind it. Distraction is the best and worst thing about crushes. Sure, thinking about our crushes always makes us smile whether we're driving home, washing dishes, or pretending that we are paying attention to someone talking to us. But pretty soon that girl or boy will find a way to creep into your thoughts at every. second. of. the. day. Everything finds a way to remind you of them. Sample thought process: Gosh, I'm really hungry.... I wonder what [name of crush] likes to eat...Probably foods that describe them. Like Great Value heh heh heh...Okay FOCUS you still have 50 more pages to read...I wonder what they'd think of this book....Do they read at all?...Are they good at reading the signs?....I mean, obviously we are meant to be together.. 

2. You overthink every encounter you have with them

A glance is worth a million words when it comes to crushes. All of a sudden you swear you’ve got faster reflexes, Spidy Senses, and a trusty intuition that together tell you whether your crush is into you or not. You become fluent in the hand movements and facial expressions of body language. A wave and casual 'hey' from them will never be simple again. How long did they wave for....was it more of a 'salute' wave or an excited wave...Did they mean hey as in hey or as in hheeeeeyyyy ;)...? Despite your senses being heightened, you become oblivious to everything else around you. All you can seem to do is read into every word, tick, and chuckle that comes from them. You link their every last breath to the conclusion that they must be crazy about you. And once you get home you replay every bit of conversation exchanged, dissecting their every word like the crazy, mad, love scientist that you are. 

3. You may only be ‘In Like’ with the IDEA of them

I detest when people say this. Leave me and my hypothetical relationship alone!!! Unfortunately, they are right. This is one of the worst side effects of having a crush on someone. You create these ideal scenarios, putting words in this person's mouth and assigning them certain characteristics, actions, and reactions. This may be great and dandy in a harmless daydream, but in reality, you actually have to get to know this person. Sometimes it’s hard not to get carried away in some romantic reverie of them, but doing this can leave us disappointed in the end because our interactions with them may not always go as we imagined them. When we do get to know the real them we may be disillusioned and not because they turn out to be total jerk faces (although they might) but simply because they are real people. That’s why it’s important to not base their actions off your ideal situation, but just get to know them for who they really are. A crush can feel unattainable and therefore seem like an other-worldly being, but they are real people, and deserve to be treated as so, not just as ideal manifestations of your love-bitten imagination.

4. They make you subconsciously alter your behavior

This one can be tricky because its not always intentional. Changing yourself for someone is never worth it, but on a small scale, we sometimes can’t help it. This kind of behavior varies between two extremes: A carefree you who tries really hard to be nonchalant and blasé OR a giddy you who catches yourself laughing a little harder and longer than everyone else at their jokes (complete with a thigh slap and a fist to the table). 

When they’re around, you may find yourself talking AT your friends instead of talking TO them because all you can think about is the fact that your crush is only a few feet away can probably hear you and OMG did I just see them staring at me from the corner of my eye?? You filter certain actions and phrases out and try to emulate the person that you think your crush might be attracted to. I am guilty of all of the above and it is way lame because the real you is shoved under your bed like a bunch of dirty socks. But you are not a bunch of dirty socks! You are you! Great ValYOU. ok too far. ANYWAY, acting like someone you're not never works, so don't let the butterflies in your stomach change who you are.

Even though crushes can sometimes be the worst, more than often they are plain CUTE. We all overthink our interactions with someone we like, set aside a little more time in the morning to make sure our hair is on point, and let ourselves get distracted by daydreams. We all get them, and even though the start of all my crushes begin with an 'Uh oh, here we go...', that lil' bit of love, whether it's reciprocated or not, always makes our lives a bit sweeter.

Wishing you guys a super sweet week

:-)

Kristal