First of all, if you’re reading this, you’re probably reading this for one of two reasons: either you’re some sappy schmuck whose fallen in love with the pretty girl from their 9 a.m., or you’re a girl trying to figure out why the quiet kid in the corner has his head in the clouds but clams up whenever you get anywhere near them.

If you’re the latter, I’ll make this quick: yes, he has a crush on you, and yes, you should talk to him about it, whether or not you’re interested.

As for the gentlemen, I have one piece of advice for you: ASK HER OUT ALREADY!

I know it’s hard to work up the nerve to go talk to her, but you're not doing anyone any favors by staring at the back of her head in class. Patience may be a virtue, but fortune favors the brave.

I know you definitely have some concerns about what happens when you ask her out. What if you get up to her and become a blubbering idiot? What if she hates you and you’re never able to show your face on campus again?

What if a giant meteor comes crashing down and kills you before she can answer? What if your heart breaks into a million tiny pieces and causes massive internal bleeding?

Relax. Unless you’ve been aggressively stalking her, the worst probable outcome is she says no. Hearts can’t really shatter, and you’ll definitely see a giant meteor coming well before it hits.

I’ve been rejected a few times in high school, and in all but one case, I ended up good friends with the girl I asked out. Even the one time I didn’t stay friends, we remained on good terms with each other.

Plus, what you should really be focusing on is what happens if she says yes. You aren’t going to get anywhere by thinking about the negative.

Who knows, maybe she has a little crush on you too or absolutely adores your jokes. You’ll never know if you never ask, and even if she’s not interested at the moment, she still might be open to the idea if you bring it up.

Not to mention that no matter what happens, you’re going to get an answer. If it’s yes, great! The two of you can go off skipping into the sunset and do whatever it is couples do. If it’s no, yes, it might wound your ego a bit, but it’s still better than the pain of “what if?”

It’s lessons learned, and you grow a bit as a person.

So I implore you: ask her out. It makes life better for the both of you, and it’s so much better than living in limbo. Now excuse me while I go off to listen to my own advice.