Don’t know how to approach her!

Illustration/Uday Mohite

I have a huge crush on a friend of a friend, but don't know how to ask her out. I have managed to get her email ID and think it's the best way to reach out because I'm shy when it comes to face-to-face conversations. What should I say in this email and how to I get her to go out with me without making myself seem too desperate? I have been thinking about this for almost a month and keep putting it off because I am nervous. I don't want to ruin it by putting in too much information or saying something I might regret. Please help.
If you can't speak to her face-to-face, what are you going to say if and when she agrees to a date? Meeting someone is always preferable to email because it allows them a sense of who you are as a person, as opposed to just a name. This isn't meant to shame you into speaking to her, of course, but it's just something you should keep in mind because conversations in real life also reduce the possibility of misinterpretation or misunderstanding with something as impersonal as email. Now, if this is still your plan, it may make sense to keep things short and sweet. Introduce yourself, explain how you got her email ID, apologise for the unsolicited message, and ask if she would consider meeting you for a cup of coffee. You can decide what information to share based on how she responds, assuming she will respond. If she doesn't, you may have to rely on that old-fashioned approach of asking your common friend to introduce the two of you in person.

Is my boyfriend telling me about a crush he once had on a girl because he wants to make me jealous?
It's possible that he is just sharing information he thinks is important to him. Ask him outright and, if this doesn't make you jealous, inform him of why this makes no difference to you or your life.

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