CRUSHES

I met him at a work party I hosted back in early February (remember? Back in the good ol' days when we could throw parties? Man, those were the times). He was a friend of one of my coworkers and he was *so cute*, so naturally, I went over to meet him. I mean, I was the host. It would be rude, really, if I didn't, right??

I didn't get his number that night. Call me shy, but I just sort of figured he wouldn't like me like that. I've never been really good at making the first move.

And then, a month later, my state's governor dropped a shelter-in-place order. That's when he decided it would be the perfect time to slide into my Insta DMs—right at the moment we wouldn't be able to see each other in person. Talk about bad timing.

But I was just happy we were talking. I liked him. A lot. So we started texting every day. And FaceTiming. And talking about how nice it would be to spend time face-to-face. We both danced around what *this* was going to be when we could see each other again.

We've been official for almost two months now (picture me writing this but as the heart eyes emoji, swoooooon), and starting a relationship in quarantine taught us a thing or two. Jar and I live in a state where we've been able to start hanging out *for real* again, and we both count ourselves so lucky.

Trying to lock down that cutie you've been eyeing since your Zoom math class while we social distance? Here's what I learned:

It's as simple as making time for them

It sounds like a small step, but an important one! It's so easy to make a point to let your crush know you're thinking about them. Even something as simple as a "Good morning!" text reminds them you're still *very* interested.

Get creative when you're planning dates

If you can't see your boo in person, that doesn't mean you can't see them face-to-face. Schedule a FaceTime or Zoom call — and make it a weekly (or daily) tradition! You'll both have something to look forward to.

If you can start seeing each other in person, make it special. More likely than not, it's been a while since you were able to go out and have fun. You'll need to follow your state's Covid-19 restrictions and be safe, so you'll just have to get creative—which can be really fun, too. Maybe you order takeout from your fave local restaurant and have a picnic in a (not-so-crowded) park, or have a movie night in your backyard with popcorn and snacks. Your date will like how creative you can get, and they'll appreciate the extra effort.

Celebrate each other's little wins

Maybe they just finished the *super long* novel they've been reading since April. Maybe you've finally perfected the TikTok cookie recipe you've been practicing over and over. In a time when a lot of things are uncertain, it can be nice to cheer each other on for every little victory.

Now is a *perf* time to learn all the little details

What's their favorite color? Favorite food? Dream vacation once we can all *actually* vacation again? It may feel like there isn't a lot to talk about now that we've all been stuck at home, so make this the time to learn all the little things. Plus, it'll be so easy to find out what you both have in common! 

Have you been dating while you social distance? Let us know what it's been like on Twitter @girlslifemag!

by Erin Sargent | 6/29/2020