It’s not just any zone. It’s THE zone. The penalty box of dating, the point of no return, rejection at its finest. It’s a lovelorn person’s worst nightmare. The friend zone. A kind way to tell your “special” companion that they’re not good enough to hold your hand or play footsie with you under the table.

Numerous people see the friend zone as something girls tend to use when a guy is starting to become a little too attached for her liking. Guys have a tendency to jump to conclusions and get the wrong impression when a girl just wants to hang out with him or just talk. Why do guys always think that if a girl puts her hand on their shoulder this way or gives a playful shove that way, that they are looking for a serious relationship? Guys who think that way are, in my opinion, desperate. That’s where the friend zone comes into play. It’s a simple tool that girls, and sometimes guys, use to politely tell the other to stop barking up that tree. It’s not going to happen, it’s never going to happen, so stop asking for it to.

Don’t be that person who can’t take no for an answer, because you just look pathetic and wretched. No one wants to date a person who seems so distraught that they can’t get their act together and move on. Especially guys who believe that buying a dozen roses or a cute, overpriced teddy bear will mend that bond that they broke. It won’t. The best thing to do for yourself is to carry on.

However if you are looking to somehow avoid the friend zone, I suggest to start building a friendship first before starting a relationship. There is something very special and sweet about a guy (or girl) who is willing to put in that sort of time before making the gradual move from friends to something more. Now if your plan backfires on you, don’t walk with your head down. Broaden your horizons and don’t be afraid to meet someone new. You may have to start at square one again, but it will be all worth it in the end. It may be home to a place of heartbreak and misery, but you never know, being put in the friend zone may have been a blessing in disguise.