It has been said that having a crush on someone is called a crush because of the crushing feeling that comes from unreciprocated love. Additionally, having a crush may seem unsure and confusing at times. Deciphering romantic and platonic feelings can feel difficult due to a long-lasting friendship or unsure signs from someone that seem to be borderline flirtatious.

There are numerous ways to make sense of the feelings that may or may not be a crush. According to Elite Daily, a few of these indications include doing things to get the person’s attention, noticing little details about them, trying to avoid them, and getting butterflies (Colvin and Sullivan 5). Butterflies, a swooping feeling in the stomach that brings stress and happiness all at once, can be a way of knowing for certain that something truly has become a crush.

Although it is common to catch feelings for someone, not all relationships have to be romantic. There are many types of relationships that a person might have, such as family relationships, platonic relationships, and friendship relationships. Platonic love is a kind of friendship that connects people on a deeper level. No romantic feelings are involved, but it binds friends together with greater understanding and human connection. 

There are a few instances in which platonic love can be a train track toward romantic love. For the train to be able to run, however, both sides of the friendship must be on the same path. A one-sided love in a platonic relationship can ultimately end up in friendship breakups or have consequences that could do great harm. While this does not always happen, it would be best for a pair to communicate to make sure they are on the same page. Having discussions on what each person expects or doesn’t expect from a relationship can only build stronger trust. 

In the simplest terms, platonic love is caring for a friend without any romantic affiliation. Friendship can be brutal and straightforward, but it comes far more easily than romance. In platonic love, conflicts are less risky than ones in romantic love. Arguments in friendships will likely not cause any harm to the relationship and are easily resolved. 

Fights in romantic relationships, however, cannot go unsettled for the sake of building trust and keeping happiness between partners. Romantic relationships always tend to have physical intimacy such as hugging and kissing as well, while platonic ones usually do not.