1. You’re always dancing around your feelings. It’s scary to be direct about your feelings, especially when the other person isn’t coming out and saying exactly what they want from you, either. You might even feel like bringing up such a serious topic would ruin your chemistry, destroy your sexual tension. But it’s important to let each other know what you are expecting to get from the relationship. If you never even hint at the fact you’re interested in a serious relationship and they never bother to mention they’re only looking for a fling, you will have no idea that you’re never going to work as a couple. It’s best to be transparent as early on as you can.

2. You’re spending hours crafting the perfect text. You want to impress your crush, so it’s only natural that you spend some time trying to come up with cute, clever answers to each text. But you don’t want to go overboard. You don’t want to ask your friends for help figuring out how to answer and rewrite the same message fifty times until it sounds perfect. You don’t want to accidentally slip into a false persona. You want them to get to know the real you. You want your personality to shine through your texts.

3. You’re paying too much attention to timing. You don’t want to calculate exactly how many minutes it took them to answer your text and then wait just as long, if not longer, to answer their text. Answer when you want to answer. Don’t hold yourself back from having a nice conversation with them because you’re worried about looking too eager. The right person will be excited by eager.

4. You’re lying about your personal life. You might not want to admit that you’re lounging on the couch in pajamas every time they text to ask what you’re doing, but you don’t have to pretend you’re at crazy parties every night, either. If you start to date somewhere down the line, they’re going to see what a normal week is like for you. They’re going to realize the truth. And honestly, the right person will like you more for being honest with them, for refusing to put up a front to look like someone you’re not.

5. You’re using social media in place of actually connecting. You shouldn’t have to post a cute picture on social media in order to get their attention. If you want their attention, you should simply be able to strike up a conversation with them. It should be that easy.

6. You’re pretending you care less than you really do. You shouldn’t strive to look like the one who cares less. You shouldn’t want to make someone you like feel bad about themselves in order to play some twisted version of hard to get. Why would you want to lower their self-esteem? Why would you want them to assume you aren’t interested? If you care about someone, you should let them know it. You should be honest about your feelings. The more straightforward you are with them, the more straightforward they’ll be with you.