We seem to live in a world where expressing that you care can be considered needy and weak. As someone who has been told that I care "too much," or should "care less" about people, whether it is with friendships or relationships, I still refuse to keep my true feelings to myself, or to numb them for the sake of what's deemed appropriate in this day and age.

It's always a fight to see who cares less. Advice I've heard says that whoever cares less has the power. The opposite of love is indifference, after all, but I will not feign indifference in order to fit this ideology. In this game of "who can care less," there is no winner. I despise that this has become the unspoken rule of how most of my generation socially interacts with each other.

I feel that this rule applies especially for females. After meeting someone out, or just beginning to talk to someone I'm interested in, many of my friends will advise me, as I mentioned before, to not call or text back immediately. Seeming casual or uninterested is "appealing." However, it's difficult to get to know others or fall for anyone if you're holding back as a self-defense mechanism.

Understanding and accepting that feelings do get hurt, and that restraining yourself so as not to seem "clingy" or "annoying" is ultimately damaging any chance of relationship is so, so important. Who cares how quickly you respond to a text message or call? Or who even calls or texts first? It's not unappealing to appear as if you give a shit. Most people should respect you for it, not shun you for it. Completely honest communication is key to successful relationships of any kind.

Truthfully, what we are sacrificing, in the long run could be so much more important than the security of getting out of a situation unhurt.