The texting game. It's a real thing.

What you look like when responding...

    

...What he thinks you look like 

As much as I support being yourself in a relationship, sometimes ya gotta get crafty.  Especially at the beginning when you begin to text someone you have feelings for.  Here are some general guidelines for your first few conversations (conversations to just talk, i.e. "I'm texting Jordan right now," not to meet up, etc. where you might need to be more direct and responsive). Keep these tips in mind and you'll come off as a confident, funny, nice girl to hang out with without seeming like you're trying too hard.

1. DO NOT text back IMMEDIATELY.  Vary your texts back within 5 and 45 minutes from when he texts you.  You know that feeling of waiting anxiously for him to text you back? You should try to give him that feeling without being cold or evasive.  Make him wait for you and value what you say, while still keeping him interested and seeming invested enough in the conversation to have a witty dialogue.

2. Find a balance between being funny and trying to hard.  Don't push it if it doesn't come naturally, but also don't send the first thing you think of immediately after.  Let it sink in for a bit and make sure you think your text is the "best" you could do in that situation. BUT, be careful not to over think everything too much.  Guys take about 10 seconds maximum to write their texts.  Even so, you always want to put your best foot forward if you really like him.

3. Don't be embarrassed to ask him questions! Guys love being engaged in the conversation just like we do.  Advancing the conversation by asking questions and seeming interested is a normal thing, as long as you don't bombard him and seem overly interested.  If he says, "How was your day?" you should respond and definitely say, "You?" at the end of the text.  But don't respond and say "You? How was that class? Was the professor nice? Did you end up eating lunch at the café?"

4. Don't end every texting conversation with, "So do you wanna hang out tonight?"  If he wants to hang out, he will let you know.

5. Have confidence! If he likes you, he'll smile at pretty much anything you say without you know it.  Give yourself some credit in who you are as a person and faith that he's into it.

This may seem confusing, because it is.  "The Game," as we call it, takes practice, and lots of it.  It will vary in every situation. Most importantly, don't make it seem like you're playing a game (the hardest part).  You want him to think this is your normal, fun self so you can rope him in to spending more time with you as you gradually become more comfortable following your natural instincts as the relationship progresses.