Dear Heartbroken bus-rider,

I can understand why it would be tough to get his attention seeing that you sit in front of him. The back of our heads are kind of boring to look at!

The good news is that he really hasn’t had a chance to break your heart yet, so really, you’re “hopeful bus-rider.”

The even better news is that I know a few ways you can get him to notice you.

First things first, turn around! This is kind of obvious, but I’m guessing it’s not easy to do this. Since you think he’s nice and cute, odds are you’re kind of nervous and maybe even afraid to talk to him.

But I have a secret to share with you: cute and nice guys can also be dorky and shy, and they really like it when nice girls, like yourself, talk to them so they don’t have a ton of pressure to start a conversation.

You don’t have to say anything impressive. In fact, don’t even try to impress him. It always backfires.

One time it was totally obvious that a girl was trying to impress me. But really, she just looked desperate when she said, “I have 101 designer bags. Which one should I bring on our date this weekend?” I hadn’t even asked her out! If you’re familiar with the CCP clique at our school, you can probably guess who I’m talking about.

Instead of trying to look cool, or funny, or smart, or whatever, smile and talk to him like you would talk to a friend who knows and loves everything about you.

This will make you seem laid back and comfortable with yourself, and that’s a lot more impressive than someone who’s trying way too hard and coming across as faker than a reality show.

The next thing you could do is ask him about himself. I know this might seem like a strange way to get his attention, since really, you’ll be giving him yours. But that’s the beauty of this idea.

Most people ramble on and on about themselves.

(Remember that girl with the 101 designer purses? I also know her top 20 favorite lip gloss flavors, 15 hairstyles she thinks make her “eyes really pop,” and 30 girls in our school who she thinks are not cool enough to breathe the same air as she does. She comes off as desperate and mean…neither one is very impressive!)

If you ask about him, he’ll know that you’re really interested in who he is as a person. Trust me, that will get his attention!

My last suggestion is to not take yourself too seriously. I know girls are always trying to look perfect and do everything right, but “perfect” is really boring, and “dorky” is much more fun.

If you accidentally snort when you laugh, laugh at that too, and snort again if you want! If you accidentally trip when you get on the bus, pick yourself up and say, “Good thing I’m headed to school. I obviously need to relearn walking!”

The truth is, we want to do everything right too, but we mess up all the time. And nothing makes us feel better than seeing a girl who reminds us it’s okay to chill out and laugh at ourselves.

I hope this helps a little!