Feelings should not be a disease. You should not be worried about “catching feelings.” They are not a cold or the flu. We say we’re adults, yet we treat feelings like cooties.

You should want feelings, after all, isn’t that the whole point is in the end? To fall head over heels for someone and want spend the rest of your life with them?

But not in college. In college, the point is to “just have fun.” Just have fun with someone who you can connect physically, but don’t you dare connect emotionally. Don’t you dare to catch feelings, because you are young and should not want commitment. You should not want to be tied down. After all, you are “just hanging out.” You should want freedom to explore, freedom to experience as much as you can.

So, you try very hard not to catch feelings. You try not to like their cute little quirks. You try not to smile every time they laugh. You try to stop the butterflies that fill your stomach when you catch a glimpse of them on your way to class. You try not to look forward to those “you up” texts. It’s casual. It should be simple. You try to keep it that way.

But then, you find yourself reading their text, trying to interpret them as if they are written in code. You spend too much time trying to figure out whether they like-like you. Because, no matter how hard you tried not to, you like-like them.

Growing up, you saw the idea of love as close to magic as we can get. And you have always wanted it. You had a taste of it in high school, and it was amazing. You can only imagine how much better it can be in college, when, in theory, you are more mature. When, in theory, you are ready.

Unfortunately, the “hook-up” culture gets in the way. You choose to participate, because, well, it feels good when someone finds you attractive. It really does feel nice to be wanted. But no matter how hard you try, you will always want what you want.

You want someone who you don’t have to worry about sharing. Someone who you can count on, who looks forward to seeing you the same way you do. You want a best friend who you can fall in love with. But you are not going to find that if you are afraid of catching feelings.

It’s okay to sometimes say yes to the cute guy at the party. But in the end, you need to allow yourself to catch feelings if you ever want to find love.

And who knows? Maybe, someday, someone may actually catch feelings for you. It’s worth the risk. It’s worth the pain. Or at least, that’s what they say.