A crush refers to having romantic feelings for someone that are usually unexpressed. Not all crushes are romantic by nature, but they all reveal our deepest desires and can lead us to learn about ourselves.
People can have crushes on colleagues, potential friends, or even friends’ partners.
1. The childhood crush
The childhood crush is someone you will probably remember with a lot of fondness later in life. It’s the guy who tied your shoelaces in first grade, or the one who “dated” your best friend in third grade and broke your heart.
It’s adorable to think back on your first crush and what made them so special. You are bound to remember him when you accidentally stumble across his Facebook profile and find out that he’s married or not remotely as cute as he used to be. Oh, how people change!
2. The celebrity crush
Another crush you are bound to develop in your teenage years is the celebrity crush. It’s the guy whose poster hung above your bed for years. You legitimately thought that you’d end up marrying him.
You knew everything about him and still do to this day. The funny thing about the celebrity crush is that it’s almost never remotely similar to the guy we actually end up with as adults.
3. The work crush
You are bound to have a work crush at some point. It’s totally normal but can be hard to navigate – especially if you have a boyfriend. The work crush is often someone you normally wouldn’t be attracted to, but the physical proximity at work and all the time you spend together makes you develop feelings for him.
Work crushes can be incredibly helpful, within reason. It means that you have someone to look forward to seeing when you go to work, someone you don’t mind spending your lunch break with.
If you don’t have actual feelings for him, your work crush can end up becoming a real friend, or even your work husband, which is a much healthier place to be in.
4. The not-your-type crush
It’s normal to fall for someone who you’d never expect to be into. Maybe he’s the opposite of your type, or someone your mom would totally disapprove of, but you find him completely irresistible.
There’s something dangerous about him – which is really attractive. You feel different when you are around him and it’s quite a liberating feeling.
Sometimes, you don’t see yourself properly dating him, or even feel sexually attracted to him, you just know that you like his vibe and what he’s about and you want to be around him.
5. The hate crush
There’s always going to be a guy that you really can’t stand, one that makes your blood boil so much so that you find him to be a massive turn-on. You don’t even want him around you, and yet when he’s there, you can’t stop mentally undressing him.
6. The older guy
This crush is borderline-inappropriate, but not at all uncommon. Maybe it’s a family friend or someone at work. It could even be your boss! You feel super creepy even admitting it to yourself, so maybe keep that one to yourself.
In general, if you are into older guys, it might be because you’ve got some daddy issues. Perhaps guys your age simply don’t do it for you. Just make sure you know the risks of dating someone much older.
7. The nerd
This guy was unpopular in school, but strangely attractive. The nerd might grow up to be the hottest guy at your high school reunion and make you wonder – what if?
8. The barista crush
You’re bound to have a crush on the cute guy who works at your favorite café. He’s charming and polite and makes the best coffee but remember that he has to be polite and charming with everyone if he wants to win customers.
9. The secret crush
That’s the crush you could never tell a soul about, for a number of possible reasons:
- He’s way older than you
- He’s way younger than you
- He’s your best friend’s boyfriend
- He’s your boyfriend’s best friend
You know you shouldn’t be swooning over this guy, but you just can’t help yourself. You would never act on it, so it’s just a harmless little crush, right?
10. The ex
Having a crush on your ex is extremely unfortunate. Not only did he…
- Cheat on you
- Fall out of love with you
- Ghost you
…but you still have feelings for him, and you can’t let go. You are a little bit obsessed with knowing what he’s up to, where he goes, and who he dates. You secretly hope that one day he might see how great you are and ask you out again.
Do yourself a favor and leave your ex-boyfriend where he belongs – in the past.
11. The girl crush
This could be a celeb crush or that girl at the gym who never breaks a sweat and always looks amazing. It could even be one of your colleagues or closest friends. It’s the girl who seems to have her life together.
She’s an inspiration and you can’t help but have a crush on her. If you were a guy, you’d totally date her.
12. The teacher crush
Who hasn’t had a crush on their hot teacher? It’s the forbidden fruit that makes it so attractive. Even if he isn’t all that hot, the combination of authority and intelligence is extremely attractive.
Having a crush on your teacher has one added benefit – it will keep you extra focused in class and you’ll put in extra effort to do well in his subject. It can’t be all that bad, right?
13. The Instagram crush
Of course, you’ll fall for someone you only follow on Instagram. Social media plays a huge part in our lives, and Instagram is probably the one channel you spend most of your time on.
Your Instagram crush is a combination of many things: he’s hot, he’s successful, he travels the world, he has a perfectly curated profile. You know life’s not all rainbows, but he makes it look all effortlessly perfect. So, you like all his posts and secretly hope that he will reply to your DM.
14. The holiday crush
Holiday love is one of the best because it lasts a short time and can be super intense. Crushing on someone on a holiday usually comes out of boredom (especially if you are on holiday with your parents) and because you see them all the time at the hotel pool.
You know everything about your holiday crush:
- The color of his towel
- What time he likes to swim
- What he drinks by the pool
- What beach book he’s got
15. The “this could be the one” crush
When you meet someone extra special you believe is the One, you can’t help but have a crush on him. You want to know everything about him and whether he’s available.
Even if you are in a relationship, when you have that “this could be it!” feeling you just know you have to find out.
Don’t judge your feelings, but try and understand where they are coming from. Would you be attracted to this someone else in the first place, if you knew your current boyfriend was the one? Probably not.
You are probably fantasizing about someone you don’t have because deep down you know that your current relationship won’t last.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you know whether you have a crush on someone?
For starters, you are probably thinking and talking about him all the time. He might not even know you exist, but in your head – he’s perfect for you. When you have a crush on someone, you tend to only see their positive sides.
You might also be feeling a mix of nervousness, awkwardness, and happiness when he’s around you. You probably also imagine different scenarios in which you are interacting with him.
You might be planning what to say so that he notices you. Your usual confidence might waiver when you have to talk to him, and you feel tongue-tied.
How should I act around my crush?
That depends on whether you want to act on your feelings or not. Depending on the crush, showing him your feelings might range from easy and innocent to wildly inappropriate. Either way, avoid ambushing your crush with your feelings.
You could be feeling really attracted to someone but if you come on too strong, you’ll just scare him away.
What are the risks of acting on my feelings?
One of the main risks of acting on your feelings is that it will end up making your crush real. The mystery and romance of it will turn into reality and you will have to actually talk to him and be around him.
That means accepting him for who he is – a real person. The risk is that you might realize he’s not that great at all, and you aren’t at all compatible. It was actually better while you didn’t know much about him.
What if someone has a crush on you?
Want to know how you act when you have a crush on someone? It’s probably very similar to someone who’s got a crush on you. It’s the guy who can’t stop laughing at your jokes, blushes when you talk to him, and “accidentally” touches your hand.
Is it a crush or is it love?
There are some fundamental differences between having a crush and actually being in love. Because you are overcome with feelings in both situations, it can be hard to tell the difference. These are the signs that you have a crush, but it’s nothing more than that.
