Dating nowadays can be extremely complicated, especially as a college student. You’ve got “dating” apps, going out to bars, and hanging out with new people at the chance of making a new connection. But sometimes, when you seem to have met a potentially new significant other, they may not feel the same way about you. It can be frustrating, especially when you feel that you have so much in common with this other person. Finding out that your feelings aren’t reciprocated hurts, and that sometimes can impact how you see yourself.
You might wonder what you could’ve done differently and what about you they don’t like. No matter what, blaming yourself and waiting around for someone that doesn’t like you in the same way is not good use of your precious time. As cliché as it sounds, moving on is the best way to get over someone. It might be hard to exactly know how to do that, but there are simple ways to start letting go. Here are a few things you can do to put that person out of your mind and move forward:
Acknowledge Your Feelings
One way to move forward from hurt feelings is to acknowledge exactly how deep those feelings went for your romantic interest. When we have those Ted Mosby moments and think “THIS IS THE ONE”, it’s good to take a step back and look at what attracted us to them in the first place and see if it’s actually more than just a crush. Once the “puppy love” subsides and reality sets back in, you’ll be able to see if this is someone who will appreciate all of your ~flawsome~ self and will add more to your life. Or potentially take more away.
Self-Care
TREAT YO SELF! In the hustle and bustle of school, work, and trying to muster up a social life, it’s important to take time to yourself to do the things you love to do and that bring positivity into your day. Life (and love) can be stressful, so when you feel like everything is happening all at once, binge a Netflix show {preferably Stranger Things, but whatever you choose will be great!}, take a bath with some candles and a good face mask, or go out with friends and be around the positive people in your life! They know what you are worth and want to be in your life. Whatever you like to do to feel good about yourself, DO IT! If you are focused on yourself and know who you are, then someone else’s opinion of you (and whether or not they want you in their life) won’t tear you down.
Remember You’re Human and it’s Okay to Love
With everything that seems to be going on in our lives on a daily basis, sometimes we forget that we are human and that emotions are a normal part of our lives. Disappointment and unrequited feelings suck, but it’s okay to have them. It’s okay to take yourself out of a situation if it is hurting you or the way you see yourself. Moving on doesn’t necessarily mean hating someone for not loving you. If they can’t see you for the real you, then they don’t deserve to be loved by you.
Loving people and life shows a lot about who you are, so take that risk and get to know someone, even if it doesn’t end up working out. And if it doesn’t, don’t give up on yourself. You’ll know when you meet that mythical creature of a person, the person who loves all your flaws and quirks and you love theirs as well. Don’t hang on to something you think you’re supposed to have because you can’t imagine having anything better. Better is out there! Acknowledge how you feel, treat yourself, and be a LOVING QUEEN!