Find topics to agree on or laugh about. This is a good principle of conversing with anyone: find at least one area of common ground or interest in your conversation. You might even try not to end a conversation until you’ve found at least one source of agreement. Stay current. Mention recent movies, books, TV shows, articles, or other entertainment topics she might be familiar with. The more mainstream, the more likely she is to know your reference. This is particularly helpful when you have a lull in conversation. Stay positive. Think of things that pretty much everyone likes: hobbies, pets, vacations, weekends, dessert, etc. Not every one of these topics will apply, but one or two probably will, and the more general you are, the more likely you are to hit on commonality. Then take the conversation more specific from there. Avoid negative or sensitive topics. Save your discussions of politics, religion, class, or race for another time. Obviously, you don’t want to mention a topic that could lead to disagreement or even an argument. So, it’s wise to avoid these subjects. If one comes up and you can see it heading in a bad direction, try diverting the topic with a laugh and something disarming like, “Yikes. I usually steer clear of that subject at a party. That was a close one. ”

Consider becoming Facebook friends if your crush is digitally inclined, and occasionally liking a post or two. This keeps you on their radar, and it gives you a glimpse into your crush’s interests as well. Don’t ditch your current friends. [3] X Research source You don’t want to be too socially available or not available enough. That means you still want to maintain your current friendships as they’ve always been. Maintaining friendships will keep you grounded regardless of what ultimately happens with your crush. On the flipside, you don’t want to overdo it by being too socially aggressive with your crush. Avoid stalking your crush on social media or obsessing over him/her. Think of the association with your crush as an early-stage friendship.

You don’t need to go out of your way to attract attention. Don’t be loud and crazy. Be yourself.

You can get to know them by talking about things that are important to them, like their hobbies, their life goals, their family, and their beliefs.

Relationships work best if both of you are geeky about the same thing. And believe us, everyone is geeky about something. Even if that something is football.

Don’t worry about rejection. If they don’t want to date you, that’s their loss and you’re better off finding someone who really appreciates you.

Ask directly and specifically. You could say, “Want to grab a drink one night after work?” or “Free to do coffee one day next week? I can do Tuesday or Thursday. ” Once she says yes, agree on a time and remember to get her phone number or email address, if you don’t have it already, in case anything comes up the day of the date. You can offer yours as well.

Give compliments. Be real, and make your compliments about the things that you genuinely like about the person. Also, since we are talking about a crush, the compliments can be suggestively romantic but not overtly romantic or sexual. For example, you might not want to compliment their physical characteristics directly, but you could say something like, “You look great in that dress. ” Contact your crush for no big reason. You might text or call for no reason other than just thinking about the other person. You can check in just to say hi, or to say that you saw something cool that reminded you of the other person. Keep it light and thoughtful, and your crush is prone to be flattered. Give thoughtful gifts. Everyone loves gifts. Just beware of coming on too strong with a big expensive gift. Also beware of gifts that are too intimate or suggestive. Instead, give thoughtful gifts based on her interests or your shared history. Examples could be flowers, a small work of art, or a favorite food your partner mentioned. You might also think of a gift based on interest areas, such as sports, cooking, gardening, books, films, or music.