IT'S NOT THAT HARD - LOH#277

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> 1️⃣ What's the dumbest thing someone has ever tried to do to win you over?

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Okay. Let me tell you about the three most unserious attempts anyone has ever made to “win” me.

There was this guy in my department, Joshua who suddenly started acting different around me. Before, he was just normal, we never talked or cross paths, but I knew he was in my department.

Then one random Friday, he showed up to school in a shiny black car.

Now, this wasn’t a small upgrade. This was the kind of car you don’t expect a student to casually drive. The whole dramatic entrance.

And people were staring, even I looked twice.

He greeted me, wanting to strike a conversation with me, but what was I supposed to do? Clap?

"Do you like cars?” he asked me formally, like we had spoken before.

"I do."

Then he started explaining the car’s features. The engine, speed and the sound system. He just kept talking. I never asked for any of that information.

For the rest of the day, he kept bringing it up, talking about how he might upgrade soon.

Joshua became known in the department and his shoulders just couldn't get down.

One of his friends accidentally exposed him while we were all standing together. The friend said, “Guy, make sure you return your uncle’s car this weekend o.”

I don’t think I’ve ever watched someone’s confidence evaporate so fast. I just looked at him, we all did. And he avoided eye contact.

Later, he tried to explain it to me privately. “It’s still technically family property”

The funny part? I never cared about the car in the first place, if he had just shown up as himself, I would’ve respected that more. Instead, he just had to create a whole storyline for no reason.

One day, I was sitting with a male coursemate, we were just discussing. Not even two minutes later, he was across the room with a girl, laughing like he had just heard the funniest joke in the world.

And the laugh was fake. You know that forced laugh people do when they want attention? That one.

Later that day, he texted me. “You and him seem close.” I didn't even know why I gave him my number to begin with.

“We were talking about homework,” I replied.

He posted a picture on his status with another girl, captioned something like “Some people know how to appreciate me.”

I actually laughed, even though I was so confused. Why was this a competition?

Eventually, he told me. “I thought maybe if you saw other girls liked me, you’d take me more seriously.”

That logic will never make sense to me, no matter how I try to understand it.

If you like someone, you wouldn't make that person uncomfortable for no reason. Why turn it into a drama series nobody auditioned for?

Instead of winning me over it just made me step back, I don’t like games. If you want to talk to me, talk to me. Don’t audition side characters.

And now, the social media overload situation. We talked for a while at class and that evening, he had posted a vague status with my picture, “When you finally meet someone who matches your energy.”

Then I saw another one. “Some people just hit different.” Then he reposted a love quote.

At this point, I didn’t even know what else to say. We were not dating, we were not planning a future, we had just a few decent conversation.

My coursemates started thinking we were dating and they teased me to no stop.

Instead of asking me directly how I felt, he tried to build a public storyline. Like we were already in a relationship.

I confronted him one day and asked why he was posting all that when we were not a thing.

“I wanted to show you I’m serious.”

Serious about what? We hadn’t even defined anything.

What made it worse was that when I didn’t react the way he expected, he started posting sad quotes. “Some people don’t value good hearts.” “I guess loyalty is rare.”

It went from romantic to dramatic in less than a week, the whole thing felt really unnecessary.

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If he had just kept talking to me normally, maybe something could have grown naturally. Instead, he tried to force a storyline.

Looking back at all three situations, I realized something. He never actually tried to know me. He thought I’d be impressed by money or image, thought I’d fight for attention and thought public displays equal feelings.

And that’s what makes it dumb. You can’t win someone over with borrowed confidence. You can’t create feelings through manipulation. You can’t post your way into someone’s heart.

The funny thing is, I’m not even hard to talk to. I appreciate simple effort. Normal conversations, consistency and respect.

But somehow, people think it has to be dramatic.

Sometimes I sit and wonder who told him these tactics work. Did he watch too many movies? Did his friends hype them up? Because in real life, those strategies just look awkward.

If someone has to stage a whole performance to impress me, that already tells me they don’t feel enough as themselves.

So yeah. Those are probably the top three most unserious attempts I’ve experienced.

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Because at the end of the day, you can’t trick someone into liking you. And you definitely can’t pressure them into it.

If someone wants to win me over, it’s actually simple. Be honest. Be normal. Be yourself.

IMAGE IS MINE