The best thing you can do is just tell him that you're not interested in going out with him. Otherwise he might be hoping that you feel the same way he does. It's not mean, it's just honest and saves him from wasting his time worrying about it.
The alternative is to just kind of gradually ignore him....which is easier, but in my opinion that's kind of rude and more mean than just telling him.
All you have to do is keep distance. This will make him realize that you are not interested. If he compliments you just say thanks.
I know When a girl is not interested when she pays attention to other people and forgets about me. Just think of him as the guy who likes you and thats it nothing else. Hope it helps.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.