The number one question that is being asked by those who read this right now is “why should I trust advice from a high schooler?” and that’s a fair question.

I don’t have a degree in psychology, and I may not have the experience of a relationship expert. I haven’t been researching in the lab to figure this out. But I have seen a lot of people struggle with relationships and I have picked up some good advice over the years.

If you still have your doubts, Senior Addison Krzyzak said, “His advice to people, whether friends or not, has been amazing. [I’ve seen] him help people through relationship heartbreaks, being a shoulder to cry on, and just lending a helping hand to anyone who may need it. His advice helps people come up with the best results and versions of themselves. Caleb is a ‘magician’ in the advice world.”

My first piece of advice is to be yourself, which sounds cliché, but it’s the best piece of advice that can be given. If you’re talking to a girl you’re interested in and you’re not being yourself, things most likely won’t work out.

Also, if you feel like you are forcing yourself into conversations or things are often one-sided, you need to drop it as soon as possible, which can be hard, but is a lot easier than eventually getting embarrassed when she says she doesn’t feel the same way after you put a lot of effort in.

Remember, there’s no rush—most of the time, relationships occur naturally when you are being yourself, so once you find someone who gives you the same energy that you are giving to him/her, then it’s go time.

The next step is asking her out, which is really hard to get the courage to do because there is a possibility that she’ll say no and you’ll feel embarrassed forever. So don’t screw it up— when you ask her, be confident, tell her how you honestly feel,  and ask her for a specific thing to do; don’t just say you want to hang out. Also, pro tip: don’t go to a movie on the first date, go somewhere where you can talk and be able to learn something about them.

Now that you’ve made it to the first date, there are a few things that you need to get together before you go. One: if you’re going to pick her up, make sure you clean your car before you go and make sure it smells nice.

Two: make sure you dress nicer; don’t throw a hoodie and sweatpants on. Wear an outfit that shows you are putting in effort. If you need to, have one of your girl friends to help you out with what to wear. Then, when you go to pick her up, go up to the door and if you don’t know her parents already make sure you introduce yourself.

When you are on the date, make sure you just ask questions and try and get to know her. If you ever feel like you don’t have something to talk about, then you can always ask silly, random questions to get things going. Then the biggest thing on the first date is this: whatever you do, whether it is bowling, dinner, or going to a fair, make sure you pick up the check. Before you go and drop her back off, if it went well, make sure you tell her that and say that you would want to go out again.

After the first few dates and once the two of you have established a relationship, here are some tips. Find out her favorite drink from Starbucks or Tropical Smoothie, and every once in a while, surprise her by getting it. Also, if you ever know that she has something big coming up like a big game or some kind of event, get her something like her favorite candy or chocolate and write a little note wishing her luck. These little things show you care and she’ll appreciate it a lot.

Then, the biggest piece of advice is to make sure you have really good communication with her. You need her to be comfortable telling you anything; always be there if she needs to talk, and anytime you think you want to change something about your relationship, talk out how you’re feeling so you can figure things out together.

In conclusion, be yourself and be confident when you’re talking to someone you’re interested in. Show them you care and are willing to take out time for them. High School relationships always seem tough or confusing, but they don’t have to be, and if you take some of this advice, it will definitely help.

But, remember to take this advice at your own risk. I’m a high schooler figuring these same types of things out right next to you.