The Big Book Of Sempai / Senpai

How To #18 - Recognize That You Have A Senpai

How to Recognize That You Have a Senpai

Sometimes, it's hard to tell if you have a crush on someone or not. This will help you understand what a crush is and figure out whether or not you actually have a crush on someone.

The easiest way to recognize if you have a crush is to think about how they make you feel. Do you talk a lot when they're around to get their attention? Does seeing them give you butterflies? Do you daydream about them? Are these questions making you think of them right now? If so, you might have a crush! If you're still not sure, or if it seems more complicated than that, continue reading for more signs!

Method One of Three:
Defining a 'Crush'

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Know what a crush is. Urban Dictionary defines a crush as "a burning desire to be with someone who you find very attractive and extremely special."[1] Crushes make you feel crazy emotions--like feeling shy and uncontrollably giddy at the same time. You can't always choose who you have a crush on, but you can choose how you react once you figure out that you have a crush on someone.

2
Know that there are different kinds of crushes. The term 'crush' gets thrown around a lot. It can mean that you simply have a passing infatuation with someone, or that you really like him or her.
The Friendly Crush (sometimes called a "squish"): It is important to remember that not all strong feelings are romantic. Letting yourself trust someone and become really close to someone, without necessarily having romantic feelings for them, is a really special thing. Wanting to be around a person all the time may just mean that you have gone from friends to best friends. It's totally normal to have a friend crush - you should want to hang out with your BFF as much as possible.
The Admiration Crush: When you idolize a person (like a celebrity, teacher, or classmate who has done something really cool) you may realize that you have really intense feelings about that person and what they have done. These feelings might be mistaken for romantic feelings simply because they are so intense. Feeling slightly awed in the presence of someone who has done something amazing or can teach you great things is natural. Often, it's best to let a bit of time pass before really thinking too hard about these feelings. Generally once you have spent a lot of time with this person, you will have learned a lot from them and may begin to feel like you can stand on equal ground. You may find that your crush-like feelings simmer down once the initial awe of being in their presence wears off.
The Passing Crush: It is human nature to be attracted to other people. Even if you are in a great relationship, you still might find that you feel attracted to someone other than your romantic partner. This attraction is what we call a passing crush-- this new person may seem new and exciting, and they probably are, but that doesn't mean you should reconsider the relationship you are in or, if you're single, drop everything to try to be with him/her. Often times, passing crushes are spiked by being attracted--most often physically--to someone.
The Romantic Crush: Sometimes having a crush on someone really does mean you really, really like them--and in a romantic way at that. Having a romantic crush means that you want to be with that person in more than just a friendly way--you want to be their romantic partner. If you fantasize about kissing, holding hands with, or cuddling with that person, you probably have a romantic crush.

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Figure out how serious your crush is. By doing this, you can figure out how best to proceed--whether you should keep your feelings to yourself or share how you feel with your crush. Read the next sections to help you figure out just how strong you are crushing on that special someone.

Method Two of Three:
Being Near Your Senpai

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Consider your behavior around the person you think you might have a crush on. Paying attention to your physical behavior means noticing how you react instinctively when your crush is around. Different people will react differently, and generally it will be a subconscious reaction. Generally, when you have a crush you will react in one of two ways--either by becoming really shy and tongue-tied, or by becoming really outgoing.
The Shy Reaction: Do you suddenly feel like you might like to curl up into a ball when your crush is around? Do you blush incessantly and can't seem to raise your eyes up from that suddenly very interesting speck of dirt on the ground? Do you suddenly feel like you don't have anything witty or interesting to say? All of these reactions point towards having a crush.
The Outgoing Reaction: Do you suddenly feel the urge to tease your potential crush? When they are around, do you get the sudden urge to talk a lot because you want their attention? These are all symptoms of a crush as well. Just make sure that you don't make your crush uncomfortable if you act this way--try not to tease them too much or they might not want to hang out with you.
The Flirty Reaction: Do you feel like you want your crush to notice what you are wearing or how your hair is done that day? Do you feel like giggling and joking around? Maybe you suddenly feel the urge to make sure you look as good as possible so that your crush will notice you. Batting your eyes, flipping your hair over your shoulder, and playing with your hair are all signs that you have a crush.