Hi Crush Crazy,

With Valentine’s Day being right around the corner, this is the PERFECT topic!

Yay! Crushes are so much fun, aren’t they?! It’s weird how we can go so quickly from thinking boys are all “Ew gross!” to thinking they’re adorable, but it’s also totally normal. It’s just part of the whole “growing up” thing. Almost everyone goes through it, including the boys!

The main thing is to have fun! It makes sense to be excited. But try not to freak out. Crushes are thrilling, and that’s the point. There’ll be plenty of time as you get older for more serious feelings (which can also include negative ones like jealousy and heartbreak), so for now while you’re younger, try to just let crushes be fun.

Crushing on a guy who’s crushing on you is something there’s PLENTY of time for too. If you’re a tween, you can totally dream about what it’ll be like, but you don’t need to stress about making it happen. You ask how I got my crush Brandon to like me back. But it’s not something you get, like a cheeseburger with fries or a pet fish. It’s something that just…happens! When the time is right and the person is right, believe me, it’ll happen to you too.

So yeah, me and Brandon get along pretty well and it’s just as fun as it is crazy-exciting! But, the most important part is that he’s really nice to me and likes me for who I am, not for trying to be a CCP or something I’m totally not. And the same thing should go for you too! Between us dorks, always make sure that the guy you’re crushing on likes you just the way you are and doesn’t do stuff that hurts your feelings. Same thing for friends, too!

So for now, just have fun. Talk to your BFFs about crushes, but don’t blab your feelings to everyone. And please don’t ever betray a BFF by blabbing their secret crush to others or by trying to make him like you instead. Know that boys and crushes are fun, but your friendships are the most important thing. In other words, don’t ever put a crush above a friend. Finally, remember that if you like a boy and he doesn’t like you back, it’s his loss. There are plenty more crushes out there! !!

When did you start having crushes? Is there somebody you like that likes you back? Tell us about it in the comments!