When it comes to the world of romance, there seems to be a plethora of eligible bachelors and bachelorettes that are waiting to be swept off their feet by that special someone. But that's just it. They are waiting. There is anxiety that comes with taking initiative, commonly known as “shooting your shot.” As scary as it seems, shooting your shot is something that we should probably get more comfortable with. Let’s face it: if no one takes the initiative, how can anything start in the first place?
Shooting your shot can take many forms. Whether it is walking up to a cutie in–person or sliding into D.M.s online, all options feel equally scary.
Many people may try to tell you otherwise, but I’m an introvert. The idea of having to converse with people who I don’t feel super comfortable with drains me, and I tend to bottle up feelings rather than expressing them openly and proudly. So, shooting my shot with someone who I had barely even met before seems like the last thing I would ever do on this planet. However, one night, I finally made the first move. Maybe it was a few too many drinks at a party, maybe I was sick of just waiting for romance to come around and find me. But I decided that I would go up to the guy who I had always thought was cute, and tell him I was interested. I was rejected. Shut down.
Rejection sucks, and shooting your shot often leaves you feeling vulnerable. But in my moment of rejection I realized something: a few days of heartbreak and embarrassment are nothing compared to the endless waiting for someone else to shoot their shot with you. I can’t tell you how many times I replayed that moment of rejection in my head after it happened. And then I realized I was endlessly waiting for something to come to me all semester—which was even worse.
Shooting your shot may not seem like the easiest thing to do—it definitely takes some getting used to—but that doesn’t mean it should be completely off the table. There are also the moments where you are approached first, but sometimes it feels like those moments only come every once in a while.
Try facing your fears and making the first move. It can be as bold as going all in and confessing your feelings for that person you’ve been hanging out with, or just being the first to text "hey."
