So you’ve exchanged numbers, you’ve chatted a few times in person and now you’re ready to take it to the next level with your crush. The only problem: You’re sitting alone in your room.
Getting your crush’s attention can be difficult, especially over text. Once you press send, all that’s left to do is wait and wonder whether you were funny enough, flirty enough and cool enough to get the response you want. Don’t stress over it! By getting creative with just a few simple templates, you can become a texting pro. Here are some great texts that are sure to capture your crush’s interest.
1. “Hey, I just heard Lauren’s having a party in her dorm tonight. Wanna meet there?”
Carole Lieberman, M.D., psychiatrist and author of Bad Girls: Why Men Love Them & How Good Girls Can Learn Their Secrets, recommends this approach because you show your crush that you’re thinking of him, but the pressure’s off. “This works because it’s a spontaneous and very nonthreatening invitation,” Lieberman says. “There are going to be lots of people. It’s not you making the party in order to catch him, and it will be fun.”
Emmett McKinney, a junior from Vanderbilt University, agrees that a party invitation is a great way to start things off. “This one would get my attention because of the social event involved,” Emmett says. “It’s easier to feel comfortable with other people around — and you can bring a wingman if you need it.”
Not only is this convo starter comfortable for your crush, but it lets you off the hook, too. “If he shows, great,” Lieberman says. “If not, you’ll meet someone else.”
2. “One more calc problem and I might go insane! Distract me? :)”
Feeling bold? This ultra-flirty text will grab your crush’s attention without a doubt. Arden Leigh, author of The New Rules of Attraction: How to Get Him, Keep Him, and Make Him Beg for More, says that this tactic is effective because it gives your crush a playful problem to solve. “Many men are wired to find solutions, and so this is a cute and casual way to tap into that,” Leigh says.
It’s key to keep this text flirty but simple so that you don’t seem like you’re trying too hard. “This one is more overtly flirty, and it grabs my attention because it’s more suggestive,” Emmett says.
Plus, when used sparingly, emoticons add a great flirty twist to your message.
“Smiley faces in combination with something flirty?” Kevin Davis, a senior at Vanderbilt University says. “I’m interested for sure.”
3. “Guess what just came on TV? A Mad Men marathon! I know it’s your fave. I’m gonna make some popcorn, watch it and chill.”
If you’re hoping for a more intimate but still laid-back encounter, this first text might be the one for you. Here, you give him a few options. You two can discuss the episode and text about what he’s currently doing, or you might even end up watching the show together. “This gives him an opportunity to suggest that you come over and watch it with him, or to ask if he can come watch it with you and share your popcorn,” Lieberman says.
Kevin adds that finding a common interest is always a good move. “Any girl that knows what I want to watch is definitely chill, so I’m headed over,” he says.
4. “Hey! How’d the Ultimate Frisbee tournament go last weekend?”
This text lets your crush know that you took the time to remember his other commitments and that you’re interested in his life. “It’s always good to show you were paying attention to something he mentioned enough to follow up and ask him about it, especially if it’s something important to him,” Leigh says.
Kevin echoes Leigh’s view and says that showing interest in his favorite sports wins any collegiette major points in his book.
Although this conversation likely won’t end in the two of you meeting up immediately, you may get an invitation to his next game. If not, it’s still great because you’re not asking a yes-or-no question, so you can start a longer conversation if he seems interested.
Asking your crush a personal question might also be a positive way to move from a casual hook-up to something more. “If sparks have been flying when you see her out, this text shows that she’s interested in more than just casual make-outs,” Emmett says.
5. “Imagine Dragons just came on my Spotify radio… thought of you :)”
Maybe you’re not sure what you crush has been up to lately, but you do know that your crush has awesome taste in music. This simple text gives you another chance to let your crush know that you’re paying attention to his interests and that he’s on your mind.
Leigh says to make sure that you’re listening to a band that the two of you have spent at least some time talking about. Otherwise, this text could come off as too direct, Emmett warns.
Still, Kevin says that this approach is definitely cute. “What would be even better would be if the band were coming to town,” he says. Check out some upcoming concerts in your town, and you could transform this text into an amazing night out!
No matter which approach you decide to take when texting your crush, be confident and fun. And when in doubt, send your text for a reason. “It’s best if the conversation starts organically, meaning that a real reason has come up to contact the guy at that very moment,” Lieberman says. Now, go ahead and press send!