We hear people say “I’m in love” all the time even when they do not know what they are really saying. How do you know if you’re in love? How do you know that it’s not just a petty crush or an exaggerated infatuation? How do you know that you’ve been hit by a love bug?

 

Throughout history, scholars have long avoided the study of love because they fear they could remove its mystery. Fortunately, however, we don’t have to wait for scholars to muster the courage to define love in order to know whether we’re really in love. We can tell because almost everyone in this world has experienced it and has become an expert when it comes to romantic love. Here are the top ten signs that you’re in love.

 

10. You can’t find the word "frugal" in the dictionary anymore.

 

If you used to be tight with your money, now you don’t know the meaning of the word "frugality." Shelling out your hard-earned money to buy a luxurious gift or an expensive bouquet of flowers does not sound absurd like it would have before. You don’t care if you spend more than necessary for that significant person just to satisfy or make him or her feel happy. After all, he or she is worth it.

 

9. You are so beautiful.

 

Evenif you are Ugly Betty in real life and you used to not care how you looked, if you’re in love,

chances are you tend to be conscious of your appearance. If you’ve always been the vain kind, you are care more about how you look now. You want to impress him or her so that they see you at your best ALL THE TIME. You always make your way to the washroom not to pee but to check your hair, your teeth and retouch. Your mirror is suddenly your best friend.

 

8. You care about yourself.

 

This sign does not involve only your physical appearance but your total being, especially your health. You call your doctor for an appointment and schedule a check-up. You start undergoing tests like mammograms and PSAs that you have been putting off for the longest time. You forget about self-destruction altogether because hey, it’s so nice to live. You want to live longer so you can spend more time and a healthy relationship with the one you love.

 

7. Other people just don’t matter.

 

There is a reason why your best friend always has a problem when you fall in love. It’s not envy; it’s jealousy. Hanging out with your friends doesn’t sound very appealing to you anymore. If you’re going out, you’d rather go out with your special someone than go with your friends. Even when you’re surrounded by your friends, you feel out of place because your mind wanders somewhere else —to the one you love. That’s why your friends are annoyed — because you give them less attention.

 

It’s not just friends. Do you remember your many crushes? You don’t notice them anymore, not even the hottest heartthrob on campus. You wonder where the people you used to wink or stare at have gone. The truth is, they didn’t go anywhere. They are still there. You simply don’t notice them. All of them pale in comparison to your special someone.

 

6. This is the good life.

 

If you used to be the cynical type, you suddenly begin to feel that life is good and the world is a happy place to live in. Everything seems so bright and sunny and warm. Everything looks like butterflies and sunshine. You feel incredibly good every minute of the day. Even when your mother is nagging and your boss is power-tripping, you still manage to smile. Not to mention that even if you’re not a musical person, you catch yourself humming all the time — in the elevator, while reading the newspaper, during your commute. People who used to ignore you begin to notice you all of a sudden. You radiate happiness without realizing it.

 

5. Ex? What Ex?

 

Yes, your ex. One of the more definitive signs that you are in love in the present is that you have forgotten your past. Remember your ex-boyfriend who you thought you could never forget? Well, you don’t think about him anymore. If you’re really in love, you tend to have amnesia and forget about those people who broke your heart before and who swore you would take your revenge on your ex-boyfriend. Suddenly, everything revolves around your current apple of your eye. Those before him are history. And history is boring.

 

4. You are the proudest you have ever been.

 

Another more obvious sign that you are in love is that you are so proud of your special someone. It means that you always want to be seen with him.

Even when your love is somewhat forbidden, you wish that you could be out there, telling the world how much you love each other. If long ago, you hated those people who always thought that the world was their bedroom, displaying their affection in public, now you are one of them. There is no better feeling than being able to express your love with all the people around you as if you are declaring “I’m his and he’s mine.”

 

Being proud of your special someone does not just involve PDAs (public displays of affection). It should also involve MTP (meet the parents). You don’t introduce someone you just met last night at a bar to your family. You only introduce someone to them if you’re serious. If you’re serious, you must be in love. It’s as simple as that. That is exactly why meeting the parents is such a huge step in a relationship.

 

3. His face is painted on everything. EVERYTHING!

 

Everything reminds you of him. The funny part is, you just can’t help it. Even when you don’t want to think of him, you see his face everywhere you look — on your wine glass, in the train’s windows, on the tip of your pencil, on your bedroom’s ceiling, on your pillowcases. His face is everywhere! He is like a beautiful ghost haunting you in a good way. This is also the reason why other people consider falling in love a terrible thing. Some people get inspired when in love and do well in school and at work but others are distracted and can’t concentrate. It’s just a matter of how you handle your emotions.

 

2. There is always a way.

 

You will do everything to make your special someone happy. You don’t want to disappoint him. You always find a way to make sure of this.

If you have a date at 5pm and your boss gave you some extra work, you will surely beg off even when you used to just do the tasks without complaint. If you found out that he wants a vacation and you don’t have time, you would file for sick leave even if you feel completely well. He wants to see an action film and you want a romantic comedy; you will spend the night watching Bruce Willis and will forget about Hugh Grant. The weird thing is, you don’t feel bad about it. What matters is that you are together, enjoying happy moments.

 

1. You begin to see your future.

 

If you’re really in love, you start to imagine your future with your darling. You think about how long you will last and you’re sure it’s going to be a long time.

You think about introducing him to your family and friends and wonder how they will get along. You think about meeting his friends and family. You think about the number of kids you want. You think about building a family with him. You think about marriage. Marriage means the future. Marriage means forever.

 

These are things you don’t think about when it comes to a person you had one-night-stand with or someone you are not serious about. You are really in love if you begin to see your future with him — and it’s a lovely future in your head.

 

Although these signs are the most common and the most obvious, these are not absolute. If you don’t experience one or a few of these, it doesn’t mean you are not in love. The truth is, the first step in falling in love is acknowledging the feeling that you’re in love. If you think you are in love, you probably are.