So you've seen someone. Talked to someone. Met someone. And they're interesting or cute or special or whatever word just makes the lights in your brain start blinking fast. Here at Sydney Gets Emotional Fast Co., I like to call these feels "boy colds" since you get all the symptoms of a new, like, interest but literally NOTHING happens and then it goes away (like a cold). But feeling pain and angst while having a crush is no fun! Embrace the awkwardness and that you literally think they are the greatest thing right now. In healthy doses, some boy (or girl) colds are pure fun (as long as you accept what's going on). So, courtesy of Sydney's long, long history of "boy colds", here's the all too familiar stages of meeting that new "oo la la" human being:

1. The *Hello Beautiful Stranger* Stage

You've just met your love of your next 10 seconds. Maybe longer. We have yet to see. Maybe they made the perfect jokes that one class period or they made you smile at just the perfect moment - but they did it. They got your attention. Now comes the anxious search to get to know them more, or stare awkwardly at them all class now. If you fall into that last category, you drop off here.

2. The *Trying to Slide Into Your Life* Stage

Whether it’s literally their DM’s or getting their number, you’re searching for a way to take this from a “you sit in front of me in 4th period” to “maybe friends” relationship, and you WILL find a way. Find a good excuse - believe me, they’re millions. And maybe, just maybe, if you chat enough in class- they’ll ask for yours first. If you can’t find a way to do this and give up in frustration, you stop off here.

3. The *THEY ARE AMAZING* Stage

So you've been texting or messaging or talking for maybe a few days now - and YEP - you were right! They are AMAZING. They make you laugh or they're super interesting or they just brighten your day - but they are a perfect addition to your routine. And you are all for it. You got their number, but you just want to spend more and more time with them. And yes, you will find a way. If they don't turn out to be so fabulous- you stop off here.

4. The *Wait, No They Aren’t* Stage

So.... we've had a hiccup. It's been a bit, but now you're starting to notice that maybe they aren't perfection. Maybe they're immature or are into something you absolutely hate, or they just kind of slip off your radar for a bit - whatever they did - you don't quite hear the bells anymore. People are people, so this needs to happen at some point, but if you don't mind it so much after all - you move on to the next stage.

5. The *But I Love Them Anyway* Stage

So now that you know they aren't perfect, I guess you can still be friends, right? Like they didn't stop being hilarious or interesting or cute or whatever - they're just maybe not as bright and shiny to you as they once were. At this point, you're either thinking of maybe actually dating them, or you've kind of accepted that you're maybe going to be friends. But either way - you're kind of at peace about what went down.

6. The *Welp. Now I’m Over It.* Stage

Soooo you've made it the whole way through, and they just didn't peak your fancy enough to be dating material. That's totally okay. You wake up one day - and you're just kinda over it. Or they give you a reason to kind of leave things be. Either way, it's been a fun time. Now you might text them every now and again or become friends - but the intense interest has officially died off. Relationship status? Human who texts you every now and again. And that's perfectly okay.

This is just how boy-colds usually go for ME, but this can vary by so much for so many different kinds of people. Being someone who gets interested in things all the time, people or otherwise - this was my way of not making that one guy in 3rd period my center of the universe for 2 weeks, and instead just making a joke of it and riding the waves as they come. The key? Don't tell them. And try not to lead them on too much. Different people handle both sides of this equation in different ways - and that's totally okay. In the end, it usually just ends up being something you laugh about - hopefully.