Humans are quite different from other living creatures when it comes to the mating ritual. When a female cat decides it’s time to find a mate she will do that hilarious low-to-the-ground routine and caterwaul which attracts every prowling tomcat in the neighborhood. A few species of male birds perform elaborate dances while they are judged by potential female suitors. It’s like the animal kingdom’s answer to Dancing With the Stars. In a less romantic example, several insects like the female praying mantis will allow their partner to do their thing before biting off the poor man-mantis’s head and devouring the body. Come to think of it, maybe humans aren’t much different after all.

Humans have a lot of different ways by which they try to attract a member of the opposite sex. The process can be quite nerve-racking for both sexes as the fear of rejection and failure weighs heavily. Some people are shy while others are more aggressive which means there is a wide range of strategies employed. Most involve some pretty strange behavior. While some guys can play it cool, many engage in some pretty odd conduct such as gawking, cat calling, babbling nonsensically, and overdoing it with the compliments. Some get boisterous in an attempt to impress which can lead to downright obnoxiousness. Men have a tendency to turn into completely different people when they have a crush.

It’s not like women are shining examples of normalcy when they’re in the same situation. They are prone to some pretty bizarre behavior too. Let’s take a look at the 15 crazy things women do when they have a crush on someone.

15. Nervous Laughter

When women get into a conversation with a crush, they tend to laugh a little more than normal. This isn’t necessarily because they find the other person’s anecdotes to be hilarious. It has more to do with nervousness. While this can boost a guy’s self-esteem and make him feel like he should become a stand-up comedian, it is just a woman’s natural reaction to feeling a little awkward and perhaps a bit shy. Nervous laughter is actually a physical reaction that is triggered by feelings of stress, anxiety, and even confusion. It is not the same as the true belly laugh that would result from being genuinely amused.

The next time you are with a lady that keeps laughing at all of your lame jokes, it just may be a sign that she’s into you. Of course, she could be laughing at you. Keep your day job!!

14. Fidgeting and Twirling Hair

If you are ever talking with a woman and you notice that she is twirling her fingers through her hair or subtly twisting the rings on her fingers or otherwise fidgeting you may interpret this to be a sign of disinterest and her not being into you. In many cases, it actually means the exact opposite. Much like the nervous laugh, fidgeting can simply be a way of dealing with a bit of stress and anxiety. It is done subconsciously in many cases. Twirling hair has long been associated with sexual interest and men that know this take it as a very positive sign. Like any other perceived signals, fidgeting and twirling of the hair could mean something entirely different. Maybe it is some kind of obsessive compulsive disorder? You might also want to consider the possibility that she might actually be disinterested and not into you. Nah!! She’s into you!!

13. Social Network Stalking

 

This freakish activity is not only done by females but it is still one of the 15 crazy things women do when they have a crush on someone. You can find out a lot about a person by perusing their Facebook page and other social media networks like Twitter and Instagram. It really is too easy. Pictures, profile information, and comments can reveal all sorts of information and countless women throughout the world love to be amateur detectives by examining photos and posts from years past to find out all they can about their crush. If you are thinking about delving into your crush’s Facebook page, just remember to not read too far into things. The sexy woman who is posing with him in those photos isn’t necessarily a love interest and his post about “going to the shart film festival” is probably a typo. Or is it?

12. Just Being Nice

Here’s an old-fashioned method that it tried and true. Some women believe that doing helpful and thoughtful things will get their crush’s attention. It is fairly transparent but it works a lot of the time too. A woman could possibly see that her crush needs to make a cell phone call but his battery is dead. “Here,” she says with a smile, “use mine”. Maybe she notices that her crush is a little tipsy after an evening out with friends. “Would you like me to drive you home?” A nice gesture that women do to really get a crush’s attention is the spontaneous offer of a good meal. “I’ve got a couple of thick t-bones and a bottle 12-year old scotch. Wanna come for dinner?” Being nice doesn’t seem all that crazy as it is a welcome departure from some of the other confusing signals that women send when they have a crush.

11. She’s Everywhere You Are But Won’t Talk To You

You are at a party and she happens to be there too. She’s talking and laughing with all your friends but not you. Then you see her in the stands while you are coming to the plate during a beer league softball game. After hitting the game-winning home run you look for her in the stands but she’s gone. She jogs in front of your house as you mow the front lawn but she appears to take no notice of you. You think to yourself “What could possibly be up with her?” Wake up man!! She digs you. She’s just playing one of the crazy games that some shy women play. The reality is that she wants you to notice her and she’s waiting for you to make the first move.

10. Playfully Touching

This behavior is considered creepy and sometimes illegal when a man does it to a woman but it’s generally acceptable for a woman to make physical contact with a man. Some even get a little lippy (more on that later) which is something that many guys actually like. She might softly caress your arm, give you a slap on the back, or even a gentle punch in the shoulder but it’s a part of the game for the more aggressive and playful women out there. It’s all in good fun, of course. One sure thing is that she will have your attention. The physical contact is a sign that she may have a crush on you. It also might indicate that she is just plain crazy. Proceed with caution.

9. Dressing and Acting Sexy

This one’s a no-brainer but it requires a woman to be somewhat forward and daring without crossing the line. Many women dress in sexy clothing just because they want to look their best but it is also something they deliberately do to attract the attention of their crush. It’s not uncommon for some women to put on high heels, a nice form-fitting skirt, and a top that is maybe a little lower-cut than one that they would wear to their parents’ house for dinner. They do their hair, put on their makeup and perfume, then head out the door with the hopes of running into their crush. The preparation time can take hours.

Once the woman has the attention of her object of her desire she may tactfully display her best assets. Naturally, she will likely draw the eyes of the other men in the room which could be awkward for both of you.

8. Acting Like One of the Boys

Interacting with your buddies is normally a completely different experience than interacting with women. Guys talk differently around their male friends. They call each other derogatory names and hurl insults around while talking about the most taboo subjects. Every once in a while a female might sidle up to the group and work her way into the bawdy dialogue. You may then become her target of teasing and verbal jabs as she stuns the group with a few off-color remarks of her own. This curious tactic is one that has been used by women of all ages throughout history. As uncomfortable as it may feel for the man, most don’t mind this type of conduct and are even turned on by it. That’s why she’s doing it. She can also find out if you have a sense of humor.

7. Staring

Men and women both engage in this but women have a knack for being a lot less creepy when they do it. They will stare at their crush and then quickly avert their gaze when their crush looks back. It’s a bit of a cat and mouse game. After a couple rounds of this, the female will lock eyes and quite possibly smile and even blush. It’s basic traditional flirting. Kind of like those dancing birds that were mentioned earlier. She’s not staring at you because you have a wad of bubblegum knotted in your hair or a piece of your last meal stuck on your cheek. Don’t be so paranoid. She’s probably doing it because it’s one of the 15 crazy things women do when they have a crush on someone.

6. Stalking (The Demented Type)

Yes. Women do it too and it is definitely not the best way to make a good impression on a crush. We’re not talking about the previously-mentioned and relatively harmless social media stalking. We’re talking about over-the-line Fatal Attraction kind of stalking. The type of stalking that goes on well after rejection. Calling you and hanging up when you answer. Tossing rocks at your window in the middle of the night and other forms of blatant harassment. Posting nasty stuff on your social media accounts under aliases or showing up at your workplace can be very problematic. Even worse, if you happen to have a girlfriend then your psycho stalker might begin to meddle with her. Thankfully, this behavior is not all that common and is quite often a sign of a mental disorder. Proceed with extreme caution.

5. Drama

Ah yes. We have likely all known a drama queen and seen them during their finest performances. Creating drama is one of the 15 crazy things that women do when they have a crush on someone. If you are a drama queen’s crush then you need to be prepared. She will cry on your shoulder to get your sympathy. She will always have a huge problem that somehow only you can solve. She will fly off the handle because her ex-boyfriend is such a jerk and she will expect you to soothe her. She’ll get all emotional and blather on about how her friends talk behind her back. It never ends. The really crazy thing about this is that there are plenty of guys that feel a need to be a knight in shining armor and they fall for these women.

4. Trying to Make you Jealous

This scheme can really mess with a guy’s head but that’s why women do it. It’s quite easy to do but the plan must be executed with precision as to not blow the whole operation. A woman that has a crush on you will sometimes try to make you jealous. She might acknowledge your presence and then proceed to start conversations with other guys. She will laugh out loud at their jokes and occasionally take a short break to send text messages. When she finally gets around to talking to you she might talk about good times with other guys, her plans to go out to a bar with her friends tomorrow, or be purposefully vague when she tells you about a wild hot tub party she attended last weekend. It’s a risky maneuver but she’ll be inside your head if she plays it right. So cruel!!

3. Women Get Jealous

We discussed how a woman might try to make her crush jealous but there is a flip-side to that coin. Sometimes they get jealous. Unreasonably jealous. You could find yourself having a perfectly normal conversation with a seemingly nice lady that, unbeknownst to you, has a secret crush on you. Maybe she’s even playing with her hair and casually touching your arm. It could be your lucky day. Then your cell phone rings and you politely excuse yourself to take the call. When you return her demeanor has changed. In an irked tone, she grills you about who you were talking to. “Was that your girlfriend?” or “Who was she?” Uh oh!! Another symptom is bad mouthing your friends in an attempt to isolate you from them. Especially females. She can’t handle the thought of you being with anyone but her at all times. Crazy stuff!!

2. Being Straightforward

Some women have an incredible ability to get straight to the point. There are plenty of guys who believe that this type of thing is fictional and only found in “Letters to Penthouse” but it really happens. Granted, this approach is undertaken mostly by very aggressive women. She will see her crush, approach him, and tell him what is on her mind in no uncertain terms. This style can really catch a guy off guard and even make him a bit timid. This gives the woman a degree of control over her crush and the situation so it really isn’t such a crazy thing. It does kind of take the sport out of the hunt for the guy but some dudes like to have a juicy salmon steak without having to catch the fish.

1. Fake Interest in Things They Don’t Really Like

Are you a Denver Broncos fan? Have you recently been approached by a good looking gal in a brand new Trevor Siemian jersey? Did she tell you that the Broncos are going all the way this year and that she misses Elton Manning? Well, even though she looked lost when you started to talk about the 3-4 defensive scheme and she fled to the ladies room after you told her she meant Peyton Manning, you have to give her full marks for effort. There’s a good chance she has a crush on you and was trying to get your attention by attempting to convince you that she has the same interest. Faking interest in something that a woman’s crush likes is common practice. Be it movies, music, literature or cuisine, this ploy is one of the 15 crazy things women do when they have a crush on someone.

Sources: time.com, sheknows.com, cosmopolitan.com