Flirting Is Fun!

If there is one thing that is omnipresent in a Provo singles ward, it is flirting. Flirting is the elite way of communicating and interacting with members of the opposite sex. There are all sorts of flirting: the physical, the witty banter, the flattery, the straightforward admiration, the teasing, the texting. Those who are good at any combination of these tactics often have lots of friends, lots of phone numbers, and lots of dates. It's just the way things roll here in Provo.

My problem with flirting is that I'm not terribly good at it. For the most part, physical flirting is nonexistent for me. I have a weird aversion to breaking that contact barrier. I just get super awkward. This could be a post on its own, so I'll just leave it at that. I can hold my own with the witty banter, but I'm not the quickest thinker, and I have a tendency to trip over my words. I generally don't even try flattery, and straightforward admiration is nerve wracking. Some people pull it off really well, but I am not one of those people. And if you're not good at it, you just become creepy, and no one wants that. Teasing is another one I'm fairly good at. If it involves sarcasm, chances are I'll choose that form of flirting above all others.

Despite my lack of skills in the flirting department, I still try to flirt. I try to flirt all the time. Why do I do this when I rarely succeed? Well, that's simple.

Because it's fun.

Even if nothing comes from flirting, or even if I'm not interested in the person I'm flirting with, it is still fun. Who doesn't like to be flirted with every once in a while? Who doesn't like to be paid a little bit of attention? I know that I love to be flirted with, and to make that happen, you gotta put a little effort in.

I've actually had the chance to flirt with quite a few attractive boys lately. And I've thoroughly enjoyed myself. In attempting not to worry about whether or not these guys are potential romantic prospects, I've been able to have fun, which is really where things start anyway. The more I worry about what could happen, the worse I get at flirting.

So even though flirting can be confusing at times and sometimes sucks when I'm actually legitimately interested in someone and they don't flirt back, I'm still going to do it. I'm still going to flirt with most of the boys I come in contact with. This isn't to say I'm a huge flirt (did you not just read all the reasons why I'm bad at flirting?); it's just the way single men and women communicate. And I, for one, am okay with that.