Just like the next step that you take or the next breath that you breathe, flirting comes naturally, whether two of the opposite sexes are attracted to each other or not. It took me a long time to come to this conclusion because I used to think that when people flirted with one another it was a sign of affection when actually, according to dictionary.com, it means, “To trifle or toy with; as with an idea.”
Coming from my own personal experiences, while in college it is very hard to maintain any type of relationship and still just have male or female friends that you associate with. Because we do come to college, not only to get an education but also enjoy ourselves while doing so, committing yourself to a relationship almost seems impossible if you and that person do not have the best communication process.
There have been many times when my friends have come to me for advice on their relationships and half the time the root of the problem is caused from their significant other being jealous or their lack of communication between each other. Depending on your own personal experiences with flirting, some actions can be more harmful than others. Some people do take flirting too far. Some may think that a simple hello and goodbye with a church hug on the side is advantageous in trying to get your number or it can result with you prying your body from against theirs, when in reality you were just trying to be nice to someone and speak to them. Also there is always that male or that female in one of your classes who asks for your number to get a homework assignment from you and when they call, they are talking about everything but homework.
However, when dealing with flirting, you also have to know when to flirt. Although there are some people who flirt with everybody, there are also times when you find yourself flirting with someone and you might not even know it. Sometimes a simple smile, a simple gesture such as touching someone on the hand or whispering something in his or her ear is mutual flirting. There is no harm done in that. To me, it almost like an agreement with that person. And most of the time when you and that person are flirting with each other, it is usually someone you’ve known for a while and that’s your way of communication with them.
The main thing that needs to be known when it comes to flirting is to: 1.) make sure that person knows that you are flirting with them; 2.) make sure that person does not feel disrespected or uncomfortable around you; and 3.) if you can’t handle it, then don’t dish it out.