“He would stare at me … Not just when we would talk, but all the time! It was a deep, intense feeling that made it feel like our souls were connecting.”

— Courtney, 28

“[The] glow in her eyes when I got off the plane.”

— Tony, 58

“We had been dating for about a month, but hooking up for about one year and exclusive for about four months. We happened to start dating right before Christmas, and I was going on a two-week vacation with my family. When I got back, we were hanging out with friends and I caught him looking at me, and I knew he loved me. We went out that night and had the best time, and when he told me that he loved me and I said it right damn back.”

— Nina, 23

“There was one time I had horrible cramps, and I literally felt like dying. On his way to work, my boyfriend left me a care package of tampons, ice cream, a rose and the cutest little note telling me to feel better.”

— Aeisha, 23

“I’d only been hooking up with my boyfriend for about a month without any real commitment or label, but things were getting more and more affectionate and we were starting to become basically inseparable.

One week, we both got sick with the same awful cold. I still had it and he was getting over it, but I was so determined to see him after a few days of being apart that I stayed over his house with what was probably a fever and a hacking cough. I was in and out of coughing fits all night once we tried to go to sleep, and every time I started a new one, he would rub my back and neck. It was so sweet and I instantly knew that we’d be more than friends with benefits soon.”

— Naya*, 22

“I recently found out I have a pretty nasty gluten intolerance. Like, an actual one. Not a trendy one.

I was hanging out with my boyfriend a few days after I found out about it. That night, I began to feel very depressed about the fact that I could no longer eat any of my favorite foods without getting a massive stomach ache. We’d planned on staying in to pig out and watch TV or something, and I was so upset that I couldn’t just drink beers and eat junk food with him on the couch without problems.

So, my boyfriend, the kind, sweet angel that he is, took me to Whole Foods and bought me all the gluten-free beers and chocolate chip cookies I wanted so we could drink and eat snacks together. It was the most selfless thing any guy had ever done for me. It really solidified to me the love he’s capable of giving me.”

— Alexia, 22

“It was only a month into dating, and he drove me to urgent care in the middle of the workday with no hesitation and no questions asked. I just called and he came without any suggestion to just get a cab or drive myself.”

— Blake*, 26

“He said, ‘I want to visit every state with you.’ This is a man who means what he says and shares my love for adventure. So far we’re at six states and going to hit 10 more by the end of the year.”

— Jen*, 24

“He causally said, ‘I mean, I’d never date someone I wasn’t considering marrying.” And I was like ‘LOL. K.’ Also, this one time I caught him just literally staring at me with this adorable look on his face and I was like, ‘WHAT?!’ and he goes, ‘I’m just looking at your face.’ It was sweet.”

— Gigi, 25

“My boyfriend had a secret crush on me for years, and when I finally made a move, we quickly realized we could be something more. At that time, we were still freshly feeling out how to naturally act like a couple. There was one night shortly after we ‘made it official,’ we were waiting for the subway and we held each other tight for a long time and then kissed. It felt so much more intimate than our drunk partying hook ups…

He looked up to ceiling with the biggest smile on his face and sighed with excitement (if that makes sense). It was as if he couldn’t believe he got what he always wanted. That’s how I knew he really loved me.”

— Kelley, 24

“He gave me an extra-long hug goodbye after he accidentally fell asleep while we were Netflix-and-chilling.”

— Lauren*, 20

“I knew my girlfriend loved me when she told me she missed me … When she did that and looked at me, I could just tell by the look in her eyes. From that moment on, I knew she was the one for me.”

— Evan, 26

“He drove way out of his way to Chili’s and brought me a chocolate lava cake from there after I was away for a couple of days. I love Chili’s so much I cried.”

— Megan, 23