In a time where being able to go through life without "catching feelings" for anyone is seen as an important skill, having a crush can absolutely destroy a person, and no one is good at dealing with them. Why? Because a crush is a painful, irrational, nerve-inducing, yet happy, infatuation-filled phenomenon. They can last for as little as a few hours or as long as a few years (Though at that point you might as well just admit that it's more than a crush and you are in love with the person). They have a way of making you feel like you just had five cups of coffee and an espresso shot delivered straight to your bloodstream. Which as you might imagine, causes people to act like this:

1. When you realize you like someone.

You were so careful.

2. When you try to squash your feelings.

When that doesn't work you try to trick yourself into thinking they are terrible. Which doesn't work because at the time you think they are perfect.

3. When it's the early stages and you see them out in public.

The only way to handle this is obviously to pretend like you don't know them.

4. When they come up and talk to you.

You were so nervous around them that you didn't even hear what they said.

5. When you are brave and text them, but they take forever to reply.

You tell yourself that if they don't respond you are never texting anyone ever again.

6. When someone mentions your crush in conversation and you feel threatened.

You immediately feel the need to assert your dominance and claim your crush as your own, but at the time you don't want to be seen as crazy.

7. When your crush texts your first.

It was only to ask when an assignment was due, but it's enough to keep you liking them for another week.

8. When you try to drop sly hints that you're available.

Except you're really not smooth at all and it just comes across as desperate.

9. You then try a different approach by trying to make them jealous about your other prospects.

There's absolutely no way that can go wrong.

10. When you casually ask your crush who they like and it's not you, so you have to pretend like you're fine.

It's not like your world just ended or anything.

11. Or when you get mixed signals and have no idea what to think.

This really helps the emotional turmoil you feel on a daily basis.

12. The inevitable texting game.

They waited 30 minutes to respond, which means you now have to wait that long so you don't seem too into them. Because when you like someone you obviously don't want them to know you're interested.

13. When your friends get sick of all your whining and tell you to just go for it.

It's still not enough to give you the courage.

14. When you refuse, they then switch to tough love.

Still didn't work.

15. You finally decide that enough is enough, and tell your crush that you like them.

Check that off as the scariest thing you've ever done.

17. Which either ends like this:

18. Or like this:

You can then return to the strong, independent person you were before all of this craziness. When you look back on how you acted, you don't even recognize yourself, and vow to never develop a crush on anyone ever again.