By Beza Kifle
With Valentine’s Day coming up, some people may be thinking about whether or not they’ll have a Valentine this year or not. Personally, I have stopped thinking about it because, like some, I have never had a Valentine, and I don’t think I’ll have one anytime soon. But like most of us, I have had crushes, and I also don’t think I will be in a relationship with my crush anytime soon. Oh well!
Crushes are confusing. We can’t control who we find attractive. As the Valentine’s Day survey revealed, 67 percent of you have had a crush on a person you didn’t expect to have a crush on. Freshman Ella Fletcher is one of them. When I spoke with her, she said that most of the time, she gets surprised by who her crushes are.
We might have our ‘definite type,’ like some answered, but sometimes that one person is just the “one.” However, some people answered that they have crushes on multiple people at the same time. Ella told me that that’s only happened once for her.
It’s also confusing to try to figure out if your crush likes you back. In my opinion, it’s kind of frustrating, especially when you’re friends with your crush. It’s hard trying to find that sign that tells you that they like you back.
On the survey, we gave people a chance to write a letter to their crush. One person wrote, “I like you but you’re really quiet so it’s hard to tell what you think of me.” But there must be a lot of lucky Lovett students, because a little less than half of the respondents said that they were able to date their crush.
Most, however, haven’t been in a relationship with their crush. Many people said that they came close to asking out their crush, and some said that they never have. “Having a crush is annoying because you want to tell them, but at the same time, you don’t,” Ella told me. That’s why we dream when we sleep, so in our perfect dream world, we are dating our crush, and we’re happy! “It’s exciting to have someone new to think about, but it’s also pretty depressing because I always know that it’s not going to work out. I can’t help liking them though,” someone said on the survey.
Many times, we might have this feeling of “butterflies” when we see or are around our crush. It can make it really hard to try to talk to them. One person on the survey said, “I really like and don’t like having crushes on people because that butterfly feeling in my stomach makes me smile really hard sometimes, but often it can make my relationship with that person quite awkward.” Another said, “IT FEELS LIKE A BUNCH OF BUTTERFLIES CARRYING ME ON A CLOUD FULL OF MARSHMALLOWS AND HAPPINESS!” Butterflies can tell you that you like someone even before you realize that you do.
For me, a crush is usually a fun distraction until it gets to the point where it’s just misery and pain because all I want is to know if he likes me back. Eventually, I don’t care anymore if he likes me, and I go back to the fun distraction phase or have a new crush. “It’s just fun. Fun to try to “run” into them in the halls by changing your whole route to class,” one person answered on the survey. For most, crushes are also a distraction (47 percent). Many did say that it was a source of pain and misery (29 percent). “Crushes are so random for me. People will be like, ‘You have a crush on him? That’s so weird!’” Ella said.
In the survey, I asked people to express their feelings about what it’s like to have a crush and to write an anonymous letter to them. Here are some of the sweet ones:
Her eyes sparkle anytime she sees tiny turtles and her laugh is infectious. She has a way of making everyone around her feel special, loved and appreciated. Look at her. She is beautiful in every right of the word. _____I love you.
Hey, I’m sorry about your car. If you would like to, we can hang out sometime when I’m not at cfa. Also, if you need a ride to school, I can pick you up if needed, your sisters can join too.
Dear _____, I’ve known you for a while now, and I just wanted to say that you have changed my life so much for the better!! You always know how to make me laugh, and you are always there for me when no one else is. You are my world, even if you might not know it. I hope you feel the same way I do, but who knows??? You’re amazing, and I hope you know that.
You are like a Galaxy brilliant and ethereal defined by an unparalleled light but distant intangible impossible to behold I am like that atom outside, sporadic and crazy loud inside, unimaginably compact curled, huddled by a force incomparably strong but caused by that it affects How can I embrace Your beauty without breaking my core held tight? I am empty, full of darkness I see that You are full of light I wonder, do I dare behold You? Do I deserve Your glow tonight?
Valentine’s Day might be in 3 weeks, but your opportunity to ask out your crush is there any day, so take a chance!
Or don’t. And be like the 22 percent of respondents who are just having some “commitment-free fun.”
