Very few of us, even those in relationships, can define or explain what love is. And while it can be so hard to describe, it is a universal concept. At a young age, love is something defined more so in our relationships with our family and friends, but with romantic love, our first experiences usually come in the form of countless crushes. Crushes open doors for us to dream about people we can’t have and revel in the illusion of their attainability whenever they grace our presence. Like a puzzle you can’t put down, having a crush is both confusing and entertaining. And while crushes are illusions of love all the same, everyone can tell you about the various crushes they had in elementary school — on pop stars, their own friends and popular kids in class. But as we grow older, there are still a lot of different types of crushes — and all of them can be equally frustrating and time consuming. They remain as constant reminders of how we all crave and seek love.

The friend crush
Sometimes we find ourselves attracted platonically to people we barely know. On our campus of 2,200 students, there is always that one person whom you’re dying to get to know. You know their name (even though you’re sure they don’t know yours), check up on them on Facebook quite frequently, and can’t help but gawk at them from across the room at brunch. Your ears prick up when you hear their name and you vow to defend them from gossip. You share a few mutual friends, but not enough to really “know” each other. Nonetheless, you dream about the day you will meet for real and instantly realize your compatible tastes in music and movies, and become inseparable friends.

The girl crush
Similar to the “friend crush,” the “girl crush” is a purely platonic crush one woman can have on another. Reporter Stephanie Rosenbloom said in a 2005 New York Times article that “women, especially young women, have always had such feelings of adoration for each other. Social scientists suspect such emotions are part of women’s nature, feelings that evolution may have favored because they helped women bond with one another and work cooperatively.” Perhaps this explains the close bond among Mount Holyoke students?

The “I’d go gay/straight for” crush
Sometimes a “girl” or “friend” crush kicks up a notch. Despite your usual partner preference, there’s something about them that makes you want to throw any preconceived notions about what your “type” is to the wind. Suddenly you find yourself fantasizing about your crush and it occurs to you that instead of just wanting to hang out you wouldn’t mind making out too.

The teacher crush
Many Mount Holyoke women are attracted to brains and intellect. So it makes perfect sense to find yourself puppy-dog-eyed during the first fifteen minutes of class staring at your amazingly intelligent professor. You hate to be late and make sure to visit them at office hours as often as possible. You linger on every word during their lectures as if they were preaching the gospel. Your copy of the syllabus is covered with hearts and you plan to have them sign your copy of their book before the end of the year. You have taken at least three of their classes by the end of freshman year, and pray they will never go on sabbatical. Ever. Or at least not while you’re doing your senior thesis.

And while college papers, semesters and crushes come and go, consider the lessons each experience brings. As you ponder Valentine’s Day this weekend, consider not only those whom you have close to your heart, but also those you pine for as well. Send a candy gram or flower to your crush, and maybe your feelings will be returned. You may never find out what love really is all about, so perhaps it is best to cherish those moments when love reveals itself — if only for a little while.

Related posts:

1. Where There’s Love, There’s Trust
2. Who put a little love in your heart?: On the origins of the symbol of love
3. Commercializing Love
4. Has technology changed the way we love?
5. Love and intrigue collide in delectable detective novel