We as ladies like boys. A lot. Especially in college, we’re all around these attractive hormonal boys who want our attention every day. But be careful with these boys. There is a difference between a boy and a man. You’re probably thinking that a boy is like… 15 years old, his voice still cracks a little, and he's rude to every girl he sees. This definition of a boy is someone who is unreliable, rude to ladies, immature, and looks for a physical relationship rather than a romance. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s okay to date without the intention of getting married, but the starting intention is what makes all the difference. This is why I want to date a man. I want to date someone with good intentions. I want to date someone who will treat me like a lady, but let me be strong too. I want to date someone who will not try to control me, who won’t hit me, who won’t yell at me.

If a guy is confusing you, take some time to determine what all of it means. Guys sending mixed signals is one of the most confusing things, and it’s a pretty painful thing. Some guys flirt with everyone and their mother and make you feel special but it doesn't mean anything. Some guys only flirt with you, but when asked, they say they don’t like you. This can be confusing and hurtful. We read way too much into guys signals, but we forget that they think differently than we do. Guys and girls flirt differently, and we as girls tend to only see this as one side. Our side. What we don’t think about is that they’re just as scared or nervous as we are, but we think “They’re the man, they should be strong.” FALSE!!!!! They are scared too.

Guys are a weird topic for me to be writing on. I’ve never had a real relationship, but I’ve seen both sides of one. The guy gets really confused by the girl too. This is why we, as ladies, should not send mixed signals. Do not flirt with every man you see. I have a problem with this because I have a naturally flirtatious personality, but if I like a guy, I have to cut back on the flirting because I want him to know that I like him. Only him. This will show a man that once y’all are married, you’ll be committed and faithful to him forever. BUT! Before you flirt with someone, make up your mind. Do you like him, or is it a friend crush? Is it infatuation? If you keep going back and forth, wavering, you send mixed signals. It confuses them.

Now, having said that, do not be creepy!! It is not okay to follow the man around and force them to sit next to you and make them hold your hand. However, it is okay to approach them on occasion, talking to them. Do not be a stalker, but be a friend. Being a creep just pushes them away. It makes flirting harder on you if they are pushed away. Don’t gather information and ask them about it. That is creepy. If you do have the need to find information, don’t bring it up until after they tell you about it. But, it is always best to not stalk people, just let them tell you.

Once you are dating this person, whoever he may be, keep your eye out for a few flags. Does he look at other girls? Does he check his phone constantly when he is with you (excluding times of emergency)? Does he tell you things that hurt your feelings? Use your instinct. You have a gut feeling for a reason. If you don’t like where the relationship is going, break it off. If you don’t feel safe in the relationship, break it off. Use your instinct.

There is a difference between boys and men. Men are mature, they make you feel safe, they treat you like a lady. Men play fair, they don’t play with your emotions just because they can. Men are the people you want to marry. Boys are the opposite. They are immature, and you are protecting them more than they are protecting you. It’s almost as if you are a mother or an older sister. Boys don’t play fair, they bring up your supposedly ‘forgiven’ mistakes in later arguments. They play with your mind because that is how they get control. They use your emotions against you. It’s uncool of them, but that is what they do. So, if you must date someone, date a man, because boys will hurt you but men will help you.