Crushing on someone else is a normal part of life. Sometimes, it turns into something more. Other times, you realize that the person isn't all you thought they were. Crushes can last for days, months, or even years. Regardless of the outcome or duration, your crush is put on a pedestal in your mind for a period of time. Your crush can do no wrong! They are the quintessence of all you have searched for in a soulmate. Got your infatuate in mind? Good, because these are the inevitable stages of crushing hardcore!

1. The introduction

You were just standing there, minding your own business, when Mr./Mrs. Perfect has to come waltzing in on your perfectly drab situation. You couldn't have seen it coming! It was crush at first sight...

2. Stalking harder than the FBI

No agency nor secret organization hath the stealth and efficiency of someone with a crush. Your fingers fly over your keyboard in a desperate search for your crush's social media, armed with only their first name and license plate number.

3. Making social media posts as bait

You heard your crush loves rock climbing so you pull out the Chacos from 7th grade and snap a pic to prove your love and level of granola.

4. Losing your mind when they walk by

STOP. STARING.

5. The first conversation (that mostly consists of unintelligible sounds on your part)

Stutter and stammer all you want to. YOU CANNOT MAKE REAL WORDS AROUND SOMEONE YOU THINK IS CUTE.

6. Your friends totally know something's up

You can try to deny it, but the people closest to you know that you NEVER smile this much.

7. The love songs you used to hate all start to make sense

How could you not have realized that 00s country Taylor Swift was such a lyrical genius?

8. You start planning your future with them

You don't even know their middle name, but you know you want to have babies with them. A boy and a girl, Carter and Isabella, respectively.

9. They become the topic of every conversation

In your head, the things you say about your crush make for a Hollywood-caliber love story! Whether or not your listeners care about their beautiful eyes or luscious hair is irrelevant. You just need someone to listen to you fangirl.

10a. Shoot your shot

You've watched this beautiful creature at a distance for far too long! It's your time to GO IN! You don't know what the outcome will be, but you know getting some feelings off your chest will be worth it in the end.

10b. You realize why they're not the one

At this point in the crush timeline, you've probably discovered a character flaw you couldn't see past your love goggles. Maybe he is known across campus for cheating, or she thrives on attention from others. However you slice it, this person is NOT your other half and you know it!

Having feelings for someone else is a rollercoaster of emotions that you are never prepared for, but in the end, what's meant to happen will happen. Sometimes, things work out perfectly and you end up with someone to do life with. Other times, your dreams are crushed by the harsh reality of imperfect people, and you learn to get over it.

Either way, loving yourself and the things most important to you is VITAL before ever getting involved with someone else. When you learn to cherish your own life, you can begin to invest in someone else's. Wishing you all the crush-tastic experiences in the world!