Social relations and policy junior Madelyn Snider said having a class crush gives someone a reason to be excited for class and put in a little more effort while they're at it.  

Though a class crush can be very personal, and one might actually build feelings for theirs, she said typically, nothing really happens in the end.

“(A class crush is) someone who is in one of your classes and when you see them, you’re just like, ‘That person is really cute,'” Snider said. “A lot of the time I feel like no one really takes action on their class crush.” 

Similarly, political science pre-law sophomore Olivia Dufresne said a class crush is when find someone in one of your classes attractive. However, she said you can't “be too forward about it.”

Dufresne said she is constantly motivated to go to class just so she can see her crush because it's a way to “get to know them a little more.” The overall goal, she said, is to “start talking to them by the end of the semester.” 

On the other hand, psychology and neuroscience sophomore Jay Eoff has a more intimate idea of his class crush, where he believes there could actually be a future with them. 

“A class crush is someone you see in a class and immediately fall in love with,” Eoff said. “You see them, and you think about your life together.” 

Snider said the start of a new semester is an ongoing joke with her roommates. Instead of getting excited about the content they'll learn in class, they instead look forward to finding their newest class crushes. As the semester progresses, she said, the list of crushes eventually minimizes to just one. 

“Before the first day of school, my roommate and I would say ‘Oh class crushes start tomorrow,’” Snider said. “As the semester goes on, you find that one person that you’re most excited to see.”

Snider said that she always tries to make small talk with her crushes, saying good morning or attempting to bond over "how crazy exams are." 

Dufresne, however, has a different approach, which involves participating more in class discussions so her crush will notice her.

“You want to look better and probably sound smarter when you answer questions,” Dufresne said. “You want to draw attention to yourself and make yourself look good.”

Whether or not you envision a future with your class crush, if it motivates students to get to class and participate in discussions ... what's the harm?