Just about everyone’s fallen head over heels for someone without being able to tell if they liked us back or not before.
It happens to the best of us.
You know the feeling; you can’t stop thinking about them and make every excuse to spend more time. They seem to like you too, but you can’t tell if they like you as a friend or if there’s anything else going on.
Maybe they engage in behavior that blurs the line between flirtation and normal friend stuff, maybe they treat you nicely, but never make it very clear if they just like you platonically or they’re romantically attracted to you.
It can be frustrating, torturous even, and you can start to question yourself and whether or not you’re interpreting things correctly.
Did they totally just flirt with you, or are you just succumbing to a classic case of wishful thinking?
It’s particularly difficult in borderline cases, where there’s just enough reason to suspect they might harbor feelings to hold out hope, but not quite enough to be sure.
Well, despair no more, because today, we’re going to go through a list of ten simple things you can look out for to figure out whether your latest infatuation shares your romantic feelings or whether they just want to be good buddies.
Here are ten signs your crush likes you back.
1. They Imitate You
They say Imitation is the highest form of flattery.
When it comes to whether or not someone is romantically infatuated with someone else, this old adage certainly holds water.
When one person is crushing on another, they’ll often imitate them in small, but noticeable ways.
Their body language might shift to mirror that of the object of their affections. They might readily pick up phrases and words that their crush uses a lot.
People do this without even thinking about it; it’s a subconscious response the brain has to being attracted to someone.
So if your crush starts standing, acting, or talking like you, even if just a little bit, there’s a chance your feelings might be mutual.
If not, keep reading, there’s plenty of other signs.
2. They Find Excuses to Be Around You
When people like each other, they’ll find any reason to be around one another.
Have you ever found yourself taking “random” trips to the coffee shop you happen to know your crush hangs out in?
Or quickly jumped at the chance to volunteer to be their lab partner in chemistry class?
That’s the sort of thing we’re talking about. When someone’s attracted to someone else, time spent in their presence can be intoxicating, and time spent away can be painful, so it’s natural to find any excuse to be around the one you’re drawn to.
If you observe that kind of behavior in your crush towards you, you may just be in luck.
3. They’re More Likely to Casually Touch You
It’s not weird for friends to touch each other; a friendly hug here, a comforting hand on a shoulder when you’re sad, a playful shove here or there, etc, etc. But the key here is to pay attention to how often it happens with different people.
If you notice your crush keeps trying to find excuses to touch you casually, the same way they might find excuses to talk to and be around you, there might be something there.
Of course, there are multiple reasons someone could behave like this.
They might just be an affectionate person in general, or they might feel like they have a special bond with you that’s something other than romantic (if they see you like a sibling, or one of their best friends, etc).
But nevertheless, this is one thing to watch out for when assessing your crush’s feelings (or lack thereof) towards you.
4. They Compliment You…A Lot
Do they give you lots of compliments? Like way more than most friends would? Almost as if they feel like they can’t compliment you enough?
Like everything you do is perfect and they can’t help but tell you something to that effect over and over again? Do they repeat compliments they’ve already said fairly often for emphasis?
If the answer to any or all of these questions is “yes,” there’s a decent chance they share your feelings, and at the very least they probably think highly of you.
5. They Share Personal Stuff Readily
Do you find they talk about personal things around you when it’s just the two of you that never come up in group settings?
Do they tell you all about their personal life, their childhood, their likes, dislikes, hopes, dreams, and so on and so forth, at the drop of a hat?
Everyone reacts to romantic attraction differently, and is someone is shy by nature, they may become less comfortable around their crush, at least temporarily, due to anxiety.
But there’s also plenty of people who respond to strong feelings by becoming way more comfortable around you than other friends, so keep an eye out for this.
6. They Say Your Name More Often
This one isn’t universal, so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t come up in your situation, but it’s still common enough to mention.
Sometimes, when someone is interested in you, they may say your name, like, a lot. Even when it wouldn’t seem natural to do so.
The reason here is that if someone is interested in you, they may enjoy saying your name, because names are a shorthand for one’s identity, one’s sense of self, and so saying the name of your crush out loud can bring with it a sort of thrill that comes from a rush of the brain chemical oxytocin, released by your brain when you think about the one you’re fond of.
As a result, when someone really likes you, they may say your name as often as is socially acceptable.
7. They Make Plans With You
If you find that your crush keeps coming up with reasons for the two of you to get together, even if they don’t actually call any of them “dates,” there might be something going on here.
It might be disguised by a platonic desire to hang out with you as a friend, or they might pretend it’s purely for other reasons, such as getting together to study for a class you’re both in.
But if you notice that they’re trying to arrange these get-togethers way more often than seems typical, this might just be yet another way they make excuses to see you.
8. They Tease You Playfully
When you make a joke, you typically expect people to laugh.
Further, a little friendly teasing between friends is normal and makes you feel (platonically) close, right? Absolutely.
But just like everything else on this list, it’s a matter of degree. Do they seem to tease you more than others they hang out with?
Do they laugh at every single one of your jokes, even the totally unfunny ones that get nothing but blank stares from everyone else?
This is a pretty big hint that they might be harboring unspoken feelings for you.
9. They Never Want to Say Goodbye
As was mentioned earlier, it’s natural to want to spend as much time as possible around the people we feel ourselves drawn to, and it can be painful to spend time apart.
As such, pay attention to the moments when you and your crush part ways, even if you’ll be seeing each other again soon.
Do they linger at the doorway?
Do they not seem to know what to say and just kind of awkwardly hang around way after they said they were going to leave?
Do they say goodbye multiple times because they’ve been “about to leave” for so long they forgot they already said it?
If so, you might be looking at a classic case of I-don’t-want-to-stop-being-around-you-itis, a pretty big hint that they like you like, a lot.
10. Just Ask Them Already!
Want to know the single best way to find out if your crush likes you back? Ask them!
It’s natural to be shy about broaching the topic of romantic attraction, but if nobody ever asks just to be sure, everyone will be left wondering forever, and that’s not only unproductive and pointless, it’s sad.
No matter who you are, what your gender or orientation is, there’s nothing wrong with being the one to just go out and say it already.
It’s a hard thing to do, and even when you think you’re ready to say something, the butterflies might take over and paralyze you before you can spit it out.
Conclusion
But you can do it, and it will be worth it. How can we be sure? Well, what’s the worst they can do?
The answer is, of course, to tell you they don’t see you like that. Which, don’t get us wrong, is definitely disappointing, but at least now you know, and you can begin the process of letting go and moving on (until the next time you fall hopelessly for someone before you know what’s going on, that is).
And if they tell you that they do actually like you back?
It’s a very exhilarating and satisfying feeling, and it marks a possible new beginning as you start to test the waters and figure out how compatible you are.
So…what are you waiting for?
