Society and the Single Girl: The Correct Way of Falling

Love is something that is strange. Everyone on this Earth carries a love story in their pocket. Some of their stories ended in tears and tragedy, while others ended in joy. Every story, however, is different then the next. It varies in cast of characters and situation. However, they all have the common bond which is love.
As a clueless teenager who didn't know anything about love, I would read magazines such as Seventeen and Cosmo! I would use them as bibles to tell me how to talk to a guy and flirt with him effectively so that he would ask me out. I would read over them intently, memorizing their content better than I ever did for any exam in high school. I thought they contained the answers on how to score a boyfriend, but I ended up spending most of my high school time being single. All of those magazines would say different things about relationships. Some would say to jump into it without thinking about, while others would say that you need to test the waters before jumping in headfirst. Needless to say, the teenaged version of my was extremely confused as to what was the "correct" way to score a boyfriend. None of the flirting concepts felt right, and none of them ever felt like me.
Disregarding the matter of whether or not I needed a guy by my side to rule, I don't believe there's a correct way to get a boyfriend. Everyone has a love story, and it's not written according to the rules set by someone in a magazine. Some people fall in love with their best friend. Others fall in love with their neighbor. Some people go online to meet someone whose the person whose right for them. My best friend Gabu met their boyfriend online while they were studying abroad. Their parents met when they were in college. An old friend from high school met her boyfriend in college. Former classmates of mine met in the halls of my high school. See? Everyone's story is different, but it's still beautiful. As I still search for Prince Charming, I wonder what my story complete with a happily ever after will be like. While I believe that it's a question of fate and being at the right place at the right time, I also believe that it's up to you as well. You could search left and right to find someone, and not find anyone. You go on Tinder with the belief that it's going to find someone. But, unless you go out with that person who you gave a green heart to, you're not going anywhere and your relationship status won't change. Sure, you found a cute guy to talk to, but it doesn't mean anything because you didn't get his number or ask him out to coffee.
So, to the younger version of myself and those who credit their education of the opposite sex to a stack of magazines, here's my advice. I believe that you should throw out the magazines, and do whatever your little heart desires. Talk to that person, do things your way. Don't listen to others, and try to ignore the rules that others believe is right. In love, there's nothing right other than what is right for you. If you find someone who takes your breath away, talk to them and see where it goes. There's no correct way to find someone and to fall in love. It's 2016, you can ask a guy for his number. It happens to everyone at different paces. Sure, the magazines may be helpful, but the editors don't know you by name and story. So, do yourself a favor and listen to your heart. I can vouch that it knows you better than you know yourself. 

Society and the Single Girl: When Is Someone Interested?

I can honestly say that when it comes to love and relationships, I lack the knowledge to "seal the deal." The deal being getting someone into the Facebook official relationship where they are your boyfriend, girlfriend or significant other.
I think the struggle comes from the fear of being wrong. I've been rejected so many times through out my years of high school dating. (Pretty much my freshman through junior years.) And when you assume things, well you guys have heard the saying. Whenever I asked someone if they liked me, I remember the intense awkwardness and nothing was the same ever again. Of course, I wanted to maintain a friendship with the guy, however, it just never happened.
As I enter my last year in college, I'm realizing the reason why I am single is because I never take that leaps I did when I was younger. I'm too afraid to ask someone how they feel about me, because I am worried that they will reject me. Sad, but true. I worry someone may or may not be flirting with me, and whether or not I'm taking something that may not be flirting as flirting. This sentence was as complicated as my feelings are.
The thing about dating is finding the courage to tell someone how we really feel. That's my biggest struggle. I know how to ask for a job, and to annoy the people involved until they give it to me. But dating is a completely different ballgame. How do I let someone know I'm interested without coming off as too obvious or too desperate? How do I get the nerve to tell someone how I feel without coming off as an idiot?
This is when real life and romantic comedies diverge. In a romantic comedy, the cute dark haired stranger who takes you to Dublin is your soulmate. Or in a romantic comedy, you fall in love with a cute dance instructor. In real life, someone whose attractive in your class who asks you about the readings may just be interested in being your friend. Or, someone whose meant to be with you may not be for whatever reason.
The last time I was in a relationship was when I was about 15 years old. I didn't know much about relationships other than I should have one and that Bella Swan was a good role model to have. Let me say at 21, I have grown from that concept of love. I want to be with someone whose my partner. I want to be with someone who supports me, my aspirations and dreams. I want to be with someone liberal, who will accept the fact my closest friend is queer.
The thing is? I don't know how to get there. I don't know how to ask someone out. I know how to ask someone to hang out, but then I worry if it's a hanging session between friends or an actual date. Maybe the take home lesson is to take more chances, to vocalize your feelings and to maybe stop watching so much Netflix over the weekend. Where is my Prince Charming? Why can't he just magically appear out of the wood work and help me avoid this guessing game.