Nice guy, or a player?

I need advice. I don't know if this guy is a player or he's just being nice. I'll start from the beginning. A few days ago this guy from my biology class (who is a grade older than me I think) sent me a friend request on Facebook. I accepted it, ya know. Then I got a message from him. He said "Hi". Then he said "sorry if this is weird I just wanted to talk to you but couldn't in person". So I started talking to him, and as our conversation has gone on, he has been complimenting me and being so nice to me, but in addition to that he also brings his life into it and starts saying how introverted he is and how he gets so nervous around girls, etc. I don't know if this dude is a genuinely nice guy or just a player. I don't know much about him because he's older than me, but.... ANY advice would be greatly appreciated :(

Ask him out and get to know him. He seems shy to ask you, and you seem interested in knowing more about him. It's easy - "Want to grab some dinner with me Friday night?" "I'd like to get to know you better, want to go bowling Saturday afternoon? If you know of any shared interests, ask him to do that activity with you. If you don't, then offer something you like to do. Avoid movies because you can't really get know someone well that way. Those are better left for later. Good luck!

Agree with Mona. He claims he's shy so logically that means he himself would want to take it slow and get to know you as a way to gain more confidence about eventually meeting in scary person, right? If he doesn't, and tries to rush things/you, you'll have your answer: not shy, just a ploy... 'I'm shy' being a minor version of, 'Oo-er, I'm not sure but I suspect I could be gay!' = woman can't wait to sh*g him and convert him to wholly heterosexual as proof of her extra-extra allure = 'Aim, Fire, BULLSEYE!' If, conversely, you were to go and ask HIM out (like you're the big, burly man and he the delicate, reticent woman), you'll remove the opportunity for finding that out, won't you. Yup, take it slow. He's given you the perfect excuse to, hasn't he. Plus, over solely the ether, he could tell you whatever he likes, whereas enough time always leaves room for subsequent slip-ups as expose the truths. And, what? Too shy even for a phonecall?