The Daydream Version

How deep it goes — Intense, but mostly in your head

What's probably going on — The feeling is big. It hit fast, it fills your daydreams, and some songs suddenly seem to be about you. But when you look at what you actually know about them, there isn't that much. Your imagination filled in the gaps, and the version in your head is always kind, always funny, never annoying and never in a bad mood. That's called infatuation, and almost everyone goes through it. The feeling is real. It's just aimed at a picture the real person hasn't had a chance to match or break yet.

Signs it's more than a crush

· The feeling is strong, and it doesn't switch off easily

· You've noticed a few real, specific things you like about them

· You genuinely want good things for them

· It's showing you what you want in a person

Signs it's lighter than it feels

· It started all at once, from a look or a single moment

· You daydream about the scene, not about talking to them

· Real conversations feel flat next to the imagined ones

· When they do something ordinary or annoying, it throws you off

What to do with it — Get to know the real person. Talk about normal things: a class, a show, what they did last weekend. Every real conversation swaps a piece of the picture for the actual person, and soon you'll know whether you like them or just the idea of them.

What not to do — Don't plan a big movie-style confession around the version in your head. And don't hold it against them when they turn out to be a regular person.

One line for you — The real person might be even better than the daydream, but you only find out by meeting them.