Should you ever confess your feelings for a girl?

yeah just go out with her then tell her straight up you're into her

worked for me everytime but also because i'm an impulsive bastard lol

Flirt with her she'll get the message. Straight up telling someone lacks finesse and shows an inability to implicitly, intelligently and playfully communicate attraction.

Ask her out on a date instead, then tell her when the moment's right; that way it'll put less pressure on her and make everything seem more natural

Nah just take her out, flirt a bit, and see where the night takes you.  IME women prefer to have things "just happen" rather than deal with upfront expectations or pressure of any sort while they feel you out.  They like to work for it.  

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I personally wouldn't. The modern dating game nowadays is "who can care less". Women don't want someone who is needy and more often than not you'll find when you start to not care about a woman and give less attention she comes back stronger. I'd keep on hanging out with her, be flirty, escalate etc, but I would let her bring up feelings first.

It's a sort of power dynamic. By you confessing your feelings and showing your cards she is now in control. If you keep your cards close and she says she has feelings before you now it's your decision on how to react and where to take things from there. 

You're also in college take advantage of this. You should work to have multiple options at one time because sometimes one will leave you holding the bag and you want to be able to have backups.