summer crushes and vacation boyfriends

As we all know, I spend a lot of time surfing the internet at work, obsessing over celebrity gossip and reading random blogs.  My most recent obsession is Thought Catalog.  It's full of awesome lists and essays that make me feel jealous in a "why didn't I think of this first?!" way, and usually good for some giggles.   So I was reading one such list, 19 Things You Should Do Before the Summer is Over -- most of which I have done, yay! -- when I stumbled upon this gem:

"14. Tell your crush that you like them because they’re more likely to like you back in the summer than in the fall. There’s like scientific proof."

There isn't actually scientific proof that someone will be more likely to like you in the summer (I checked), but my personal experience leads me to believe this is true.  First, because I like people more during the summer than the fall, and second, because people like me more during the summer than the fall.

Just think about it.  Summer is that magical time of year when everyone is better looking with their bronzed skin and subtle, natural highlighted hair.  All that sunshine banishes the Seasonal Affective Disorder so everyone's in a better mood all the time, and there's just so much to do:  fireworks, sailing, carnivals, evening strolls with ice cream, picnics, patio drinking, music festivals, weddings, you name it.  All of which are conveniently So Much More Fun when you have a special someone to enjoy them with.  As someone who has spent the past couple of 4th of Julys solo, I can vouch for the fact that fireworks are exponentially better when you get to snuggle on a blanket with a cute guy while you watch them.  My long, drawn-out point here?  It's natural to be more attracted to a summer crush during summer.  We're practically programmed to mate during the summer months.

Similar to the summer crush, there's the Vacation Boyfriend.  You're on vacation feeling hot from all the crash dieting, carefree because you don't have to clock in at 8am, and tan.  There's a cute guy who wants to hang out.  Another no-brainer-- sunsets, king sized beds in hotel rooms, and naps in hammocks are all meant to be shared with a cutie.  Maybe you spend the rest of the vacation flirting up a storm, smooching, going on mini-dates, and generally exploring the exotic locale.  All of this exciting romance my cause you to experience the phenomenon of Narnia Time -- you're all smitten and you feel like you've known the person for years, but in the real world it's only been a long weekend.

Despite my love for Thought Catalog and each of its authors (I know one from college!), I disagree with the 14th thing you should do before summer's over.  Summer crushes and Vacation Boyfriends are fleeting and a little shallow-- just look at Grease.  It's easy to get swept away with all of the superficial romance and overlook flaws, whether its pot smoking, deep-seated commitment issues, or the fact that they live hours away and work the night shift to boot.  I say wait until fall to tell your crush you like them. That way, you can be sure that you actually like your crush, versus succumbing to the environmental mating effects of summer.  And if they say they like you back, they're more likely to mean it, too.  Same goes for Vacation Boyfriends-- don't date them unless you still like them in the unglamorous light of the real world.

As for how to tell your crush?  Definitely don't ask me-- I prefer to drive away my love interests with my insecurities and various neurotic tendencies before it gets to that point.  But I'll save all that for another post ;)

L