We’ve all been there – staring at our phones, hoping for a text from someone who probably doesn’t even know we exist.
Crushes can be fun, but when they start taking over your thoughts and ruining your day, it’s time for an intervention.
Whether they’re dating someone else or just not interested, here are ten effective ways to kick that crush to the curb and reclaim your sanity.
1. Delete Their Number (And Maybe Change Yours)
Nothing says “I’m over you” like pretending they don’t exist in your digital world. Delete their contact info, unfollow their social media, and resist the urge to cyber-stalk at 2 AM.
One friend actually changed her own number after a particularly bad crush, telling me: “If I can’t text him, I can’t embarrass myself!” While that might be extreme, the no-contact approach works wonders.
Your phone will feel lighter without the weight of potential rejection. Plus, you’ll save yourself from those cringe-worthy moments when you accidentally like their Instagram post from 97 weeks ago.
2. Create a Ridiculous Playlist
Music therapy comes with a twist! Create the most over-the-top breakup playlist in history. Mix angry rock songs with cheesy power ballads and those embarrassing tunes you’d never admit to loving.
My personal healing anthem was “I Will Survive” played on repeat for approximately 48 hours. My roommates threatened to move out, but my crush was forgotten!
Belt out these songs in your car, shower, or bedroom. Extra points if you use a hairbrush microphone and dramatically fall to your knees during the emotional parts. Your neighbors might file a noise complaint, but your heart will thank you.
3. List Their Annoying Habits
Rose-colored glasses make us ignore red flags. Grab a notebook and jot down every annoying thing about your crush. Do they chew with their mouth open? Text like a caveman? Own Crocs unironically?
My friend Sarah realized her crush used “your” instead of “you’re” in EVERY text. As a grammar enthusiast, this revelation was her salvation! The list grew to include his man-bun and tendency to quote Joe Rogan.
Keep this list handy on your phone. Whenever those butterfly feelings return, review your evidence that this person is actually the worst. Soon you’ll wonder what you ever saw in them.
4. Join a New Activity (Where They Definitely Won’t Be)
Your crush loves basketball? Great, you’re now suddenly passionate about underwater basket weaving! Find activities they would never attend and throw yourself into them with gusto.
This strategy works two ways: you’ll meet new people who don’t remind you of your crush, AND you’ll develop skills that make you feel awesome. My cousin joined an axe-throwing league after her heartbreak. Nothing says “moving on” like hurling sharp objects at wooden targets!
The bonus? If you ever bump into your crush again, you’ll have fascinating new hobbies to talk about instead of awkwardly staring at your shoes. “Oh, you still play tennis? Cool. I’m the regional champion in competitive origami now.”
5. Adopt a Temporary Revenge Body Mentality
Channel your crush energy into becoming the fittest version of yourself! Sign up for that gym membership or dust off those home workout videos. Nothing beats heartache like endorphins and the sweet satisfaction of knowing they’re missing out.
My friend Jake turned his crush disappointment into six-pack abs. “I couldn’t control whether she liked me back, but I could control how many push-ups I did,” he explained while flexing unnecessarily.
The revenge body might start as motivation, but you’ll likely discover you actually enjoy feeling stronger and healthier. By the time you’ve mastered that yoga pose or running route, you’ll have forgotten why you started in the first place.
6. Go on a Terrible Date with Someone Else
Sometimes the best way to forget one person is to meet someone who makes you appreciate being single! Accept that coffee date with the coworker who only talks about their cat’s Instagram following.
My friend went on a date with someone who spent two hours explaining cryptocurrency. She texted me: “Suddenly my crush seems less important compared to escaping this blockchain lecture.” The date was awful, but it gave her perspective.
Bad dates remind us that crushes often represent idealized versions of people. Real dating is messy and often hilarious. Plus, you might accidentally meet someone great in your quest to have a terrible time!
7. Splurge on Something Ridiculous
All that energy you spent thinking about your crush? Convert it to retail therapy! Buy that thing you’ve been eyeing but couldn’t justify. The neon platform shoes? The vintage arcade machine? The ridiculously expensive face cream?
My brother bought a karaoke machine after being rejected. “Instead of singing love songs to her, I’m now butchering 80s hits in my living room,” he explained while performing a questionable rendition of “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”
The temporary high of an impulse purchase won’t solve everything, but it’s hard to mope about unrequited love when you’re figuring out where to put your new life-size cardboard cutout of The Rock. Just keep it within budget!
8. Create an Embarrassing Alternate Reality
Imagine dating your crush turned out TERRIBLY. Picture the most awkward, embarrassing scenarios possible. Maybe they have bizarre bathroom habits or insist on wearing matching outfits in public.
My friend imagined her crush would make her watch every single Star Wars movie weekly while explaining the plot inconsistencies. Another pictured his crush forcing him to attend family reunions where everyone communicated exclusively through interpretive dance.
The more ridiculous, the better! Soon you’ll be grateful the relationship never happened. “Thank goodness we never dated – I would have had to learn the Wookiee language and attend Comic-Con dressed as Princess Leia!” Dodged a bullet there!
9. Become a Temporary Expert on Something Random
Channel your obsessive crush energy into becoming weirdly knowledgeable about something completely random. Ancient Egyptian burial practices? The history of sporks? The mating habits of sea slugs?
My roommate became the world’s foremost unpaid expert on Victorian-era hat pins after her crush started dating someone else. “Did you know hat pins were once considered dangerous weapons and laws were passed limiting their length?” she’d announce at breakfast.
Your friends might roll their eyes, but your brain will be too busy memorizing facts about deep-sea creatures to worry about who your crush is dating. Plus, you’ll kill at trivia night, which is way more useful than pining over someone.
10. Plan an Elaborate Future Without Them
You were mapping out a future with your crush? Flip the script! Plan an even more amazing future without them. Create a vision board of your dream life – travel destinations, career goals, the pet alpaca farm you’ll definitely own someday.
My cousin sketched out her five-year plan post-crush: moving to Spain, learning flamenco, and opening a bookstore cafe. Two years later, she’s actually in Barcelona! Not dancing flamenco or selling books, but the crush is long forgotten.
Making future plans reminds you that your happiness doesn’t depend on one person. Your crush-free future might include skydiving in New Zealand or writing that novel – way more exciting than being someone’s maybe-someday partner!
