As a 20-year-old finance student, my life is currently consumed by Wall Street recruitment. With almost no free time, I joined my university’s investment club seeking a support system of like-minded peers. However, the gender imbalance is 23 men to only 4 women, and this has created a challenging social environment.
However, the complication lies in my genuine interest in a fellow member I’ll call "Purple." We are currently partners within the club, and I find myself deeply drawn to his ambition, independence, and his refusal to be afraid to forge his own path. We align perfectly academically, and I admire his confidence. While he has added me to his "Close Friends" on Instagram, we haven't started texting at all. I want to pursue a deeper connection with him, but I am fearful of how it will look. In finance/business relationships, reputation matters; however, none of my classes cross over into other departments, so it's hard to meet other people I would be open to dating.
We went on a club trip to Pennsylvania and New York to visit investment firms. For the first two days, purple did not speak to me, but only glanced at me from across the room. On the third day, he offered me a plate to eat, but I wasn't hungry, and he looked embarrassed. The next morning, in a group chat, he hosted brunch, so I decided to go. On the outing, his friends and I visited Wharton and then went to eat breakfast. It randomly became extremely cold in the restaurant, and Purple offered me his hoodie to wear for the rest of the evening. We ended the night by shopping, where I was recommending to him what to buy.
UPDATE
A few weeks later, I was invited to go study with my club, and he tagged along. He offered to pay for my food and opened the door for me. However, we still don't text each other??? How do I assess this situation?