- College student Emily told TikTok she had a crush on a friend and asked for help.
- She told viewers she'd handpainted a thoughtful gift for her crush Sam, but was nervous about giving it.
On May 12, a college student named Emily took to TikTok with a personal realization — she wanted to be more than friends with a woman in one of her classes — and to bolster her confidence before giving her a romantic gift.
The app, populated with millions of people who love vulnerability almost as much as a friends-to-lovers plotline, rallied behind her.
As Emily explained her nervousness in her now-viral video: "I feel like I've known for a while that I'm bisexual, but I've always pictured my life with a man — and I must have been a little bit scared of women because it's like, a whole new world," she explained.
After class, she said, she and her classmate Sam sometimes got iced chai lattes together. When she suggested they make the drinks at home to save money, her crush, Sam, explained she didn't have a cup in her dorm.
A mental light bulb turned on. In class, Sam had shared a "very moving and very cute" story about dandelions and the first time she had a crush on a girl.
The TikToker, an engineering and design student, bought Sam a cup, handpainted it with a series of dandelions, and paired it with ingredients for their favorite drink and a sponge and dish soap. In her caption, she told viewers: "Both of our love languages are gift-giving, and she's also extremely crafty."
"I must be gay, right?" She mused. "I like her, I think. How do I present this to her? I feel like men are so easy, I know how to date men," she went on. "I do not know how to date women. I don't know how to flirt with a woman. I need help."
Viewers responded with an outpouring of support and validation.
"'I don't know how to date women. I don't know how to flirt with women,' AND YET you're doing it perfectly," one viewer responded.
@wayn3sw0r1d both of our love languages are gift giving, and she’s also extremely crafty, so no i dont think this is too much #fyp#foryou#wlw#wlwtiktok ♬ original sound - wayn3sw0r1d
"I'm so overwhelmed with love and support," she told viewers the next day. "I know you guys are dying for an update, but please be patient with me. I'm new to this, and I'm a little nervous," telling them she needed to do a bit of mental preparation before giving it to her.
Her original video racked up over 976,000 views in less than a week, and she told viewers the experience of going viral was "good but also a little scary."
Five days after her original video, though, she shared a bubbly, long-awaited update, and introduced Sam as her girlfriend to overjoyed viewers.
Getting the cup was "the best fucking moment of my life," Sam said. "I have never been happier."
"I just wanted to say thank you to all of you," the TikToker told viewers. "You've been so nice, and honestly, like, pushed me in this a little bit — like a healthy push, and I'm very happy. I'm very excited."
The TikToker didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
@wayn3sw0r1d Replying to @Mikala Walker the highly anticipated cupdate: I didnt get a chance to package it up all cute, but I was too excited I couldn’t wait any longer#fyp#foryou#wlw#wlwtiktok#dandelions ♬ Dandelions (Originally Performed by Ruth B.) - Piano Karaoke Version - Sing2Piano