Sorry if this sounds completely messed up, but a substitute teacher I had a massive crush on senior year just matched with me on Tinder. I graduated two months ago, so legally we’re both adults, but seeing his profile pop up gave me this weird mix of adrenaline and a literal stomach ache. Is it crazy to message him, or is that crossing a line that should stay shut?

You aren't crazy for feeling that electric kick, but swiping right on a student two months post-graduation says far more about his judgment than yours. The authority dynamic doesn't instantly dissolve the day you get your diploma. He stood in front of your classroom, and he knows that history tilts the dynamic heavily in his favor. That stomach ache you felt alongside the adrenaline is your gut registering that boundary breach. Taboo is inherently thrilling, but someone who taught you actively seeking you out on a dating app is skirting the line of appropriate adult behavior. Listen to the discomfort. If you do engage out of curiosity, test the waters with an ordinary, neutral greeting rather than playing into the school dynamic. Pay close attention to his tone. If he says anything resembling “I always noticed you in class” or leans into the teacher-student fantasy, unmatch immediately. That isn't a mutual spark; it's someone enjoying an unfair power advantage. You have an entire dating pool ahead of you that doesn't come with weird leftover classroom baggage.