I have always been told I’m a really touchy person by my friends. Whether it’s subtle, like instinctively hooking my arm around my friend’s arm in the hallway or something more visibly physical, like hugging them when I see them, I’m almost always physically connected to the people I spend the most time with, and the people I love. 

For me, physical touch has always been a major love language. The sense of safety and security when you are surrounded by the people you love is nothing short than the feeling of euphoria. Being physically connected to someone is the simplest and easiest way to feel the bond you have with them. 

But physical touch is also just a basic human necessity- from the time we are born to our passing, touch plays a primary role in our lives. As one of our five senses, everything we do revolves around touch. There’s a lot of studies out there that show physical touch helps with anxiety and depression and other mental issues and it’s an inherently beautiful thing to share love and affection for the people you have a close bond with through one of the most intrinsic and basic senses of the world. 

However, there’s nothing more beautiful than consent. As physical touch is prevalent as a love language, it spotlights the importance of consent and ensures both parties consent to it. With some of my friends, I rarely hug or touch, simply because I know they prefer their personal space. That should be completely okay, because even though physical touch is an important love language, it should almost never be the only one. For those people that may not like physical touch, it’s important to show them the same amount of love but in different ways (like the other love languages) and accept their boundaries.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Jasmine Y. Zhang at [email protected].