The Final Countdown
Harmful or Helpful? An analysis on rebound relationships.
BY Lana Freije ★ April 26th, 2026
Design by: Maia Simmons
Maybe he lives in your hall, sits behind you in class, or is a friend of a friend, so he’s technically kinda supposed to be your friend? Or maybe you actually find him attractive, so you’ve been avoiding direct eye contact when you see him out.
No matter who he is or whatever reason you’ve told yourself, “I can’t,” well, I have good news for you: school’s almost out! That means three more weeks left of class, a couple more days of going out, a few more days you’ll get to see him, and barely any days left for any potential awkwardness.
If you’ve been contemplating making that move, sending that text, or being a little more flirty than usual, now is your time.
And honestly, I’m proud of you for having waited this long. For being mature, rational, logical, and maybe even just a little cynical of why you couldn’t get with him or initiate anything. It probably was the right decision not to get with the guy who lives across from you the first week of school. You never really know how long a walk is until you start scouting the halls to make sure the coast is clear.
But the good thing with school coming to an end is that if you make a move on him now, you won’t have to worry about avoiding eye contact, painfully smiling, or pretending you’ve been lobotomized since.
Let’s look at how things can play out if you do make a move:
Scenario 1)
You sent him that risky text on Thursday night. He responds, “Oh, I’m kinda tired.” Okay—not ideal! But for all he knows, you could have just sent that text on a whim. You made a pass on him, and it’s over. You won’t have to see him or face the rejection. Summer break!
Scenario 2)
You see him out and bring him back to your room. Yay! Things are going great until he’s in your bed and you realize that this man does not know what he’s doing. He spends the night, but you have never been so excited to wake up early and get him out. Well, perfect! He’s out, and you won’t have to see or deal with him for future notice. Summer break!
Scenario 3)
You’re out and decide to actually give him the time of day. You are having fun, he’s having fun, things are going great. You wish you did this earlier, cause, well… now there’s summer break. But hey, you have something to look forward to when arriving back this fall!
I say, just do it. You literally have nothing to lose. Actions do have consequences, but you won’t have time to face them when you are home for the summer.
Edited by: Anna Altman