(This is a bit long, but I was excited to share!)

As a 21 year-old male, I had never been brave enough to show interest in a girl that I like. I would watch from afar or drop hints too subtle to understand and hope they would pick them up. I would try wearing nicer clothes to get them to look at me and the list goes on and on.

This led to many, MANY regrets.

Since high-school I've gotten a lot better socially thanks to my grocery job. (Turns out talking to everyone actually helps with talking to girls because they're people too. Who would've thought?)

Fast forward to my second semester at a new college and I met a cute girl in my class. I boldly decided to sit right next to her so we could talk. At this point I'm already doing great because usually I would find another seat or be weird and stay one seat apart. (Pro tip for all my other guys. It's less awkward just to sit next to a girl than deliberately sit a seat apart like she has a disease.)

First day was a little awkward but in the following days we began to talk more.

She eventually asked if I had snapchat. I said no because I'm not really into social media, so I asked for her number instead. (I'm giving myself more brownie points for this.)

We exchanged numbers and then after some beating around the bush on my part I asked to eat lunch. (+1 point) We did go and it gave us the chance to talk a bit. I enjoyed her company and liked her sense of humor.

Later that night I messaged her "thanks for the food and that the next time we go somewhere it'd be on me. (She paid with university currency that I didn't have cause I was new.)

She took a while to respond but I know better than to keep messaging. Eventually she got back to me saying "it was no problem and that sounds good!"

Valentine's Day rolled around, but it wasn't on a class day so decided to use it as a way to ask her out.

The day before I couldn't sleep. I just rehearsed what I would say over and over until I drifted off.

The next time we met, I gave her a chocolate bar and told her to read the back which had a piece of tape asking "can I take you on a date?" (+ 1,000,000 points)

She gave me a smile and declined. I respectfully told her it was okay and let her keep the chocolate.

Pretty anticlimactic right? EXACTLY! Because that's all it was. No theatrics. No humiliation like certain communities would have you believe will occur with a rejection. Just a simple "I'm sorry, but I have to decline."

I was beaming the rest of the day.

I thought I would've been devastated but I was so proud of myself for actually letting a girl know my intentions. Quite early too. (Roughly 4 weeks of knowing which is quick considering I'd usually never let a girl know how I feel at all. Especially not directly.)

I didn't just admire from afar and hope like I had done in the past. I had took action.

Later that night I texted her I still want to pay her back for lunch as friends, and she agreed. She also told me it was very sweet of me to ask her out which also made feel even better.

I hadn't been disrespectful. I didn't make her uncomfortable. I wasn't creepy because I'm not a "Chad" or whatever incels say.

All I did was flatter a cute girl and it feels amazing.

Not only do I feel great, but I surprised myself with how fast I moved on. Removing the mystery and knowing she isn't interested is the freshest breath of air I've had in a decade.

I already have another girl I'm thinking about that I'm going to ask out to lunch. Regardless if she agrees or not, I want to ask. It's not a date. I just want to see if I LIKE TALKING to this girl. Not if she likes talking to me. No more one way streets.

If she agrees, we go out and talk. If I like her, I'll ask her out. If she declines, I'll move on, rinse, and repeat.

I feel great guys.

I can't explain it. It's like a high. By "it," I mean letting a girl know I'm interested because for a decade of my life I've never done this. I never thought I could handle rejection.

Sure there a girls who would let me down harshly, but why in the fuck would I want to be with those girls anyway?

I'm starting to take care of my health, I'm dressing better, and beginning a much needed weight loss journey. I'm very big for a short guy but I'm not letting that stop me or using it as an excuse to not meet girls.

The more rejection I face now, the more confident I'll be when I go from big & sexy to slim, fit, & sexy haha

I feel like a whole new door is opened up and I can't wait to explore it!