Honest To Blog: My Misadventures

Part Four: My Dating Advice

19/12/2011

Okay. So I'm not going to pretend I'm a dating guru or that I have the best luck ever when it comes to the opposite sex (occasionally the same sex) but I do want to get a few things straight for you guys.

So here it is, as blunt as I can put it so there are no misconceptions:

Love doesn't happen in real life like it does on Wattpad.

Now don't be disheartened. We all (and I do mean ALL) deserve our fairytale romance and the guy or girl of our dreams to sweep us off our feet. We deserve our Prince Charming, our Romeo, our knight in shining armour. 

But we don't need to be naive about it either. A guy isn't going to start talking to you if you act like the coolest girl in the room who couldn't give a shit. A guy isn't going to fall in love with you the moment he sees you. And you better believe a guy isn't going to chase you to the end of the earth if you play hard to get.

So here are a few simple rules that I've come across that every girl and guy should employ, in my humble opinion.

1) Talk to everyone.

I don't care how shy you are, or how awkward you are, or how often you make a complete tit of yourself. People are going to be more likely to warm to you if you don't come across as socially perfect to begin with anyway. And even if you don't fancy someone, the person you DO fancy is going to be so chuffed when you get around to talking to them (seeing as you'll have built a reputation as a charming social butterfly) that it will go even more smoothly that way!

2) Knowing your standards and your type is important.

Make sure you have a high standard. I'm not talking holding out for Freddie Highmore, I mean not settling for the first guy who offers to buy you a drink. Make sure that a) you fancy the person and b) the person isn't a total sleeze. 

Furthermore, know that the guy is your type. If he's attractive in an Edwward Cullen way but Jacob Black is more your type, be friendly but don't settle. Just because your bestie thinks he's hawt doesn't mean you have to. If he's beautiful but hates your favourite band he's probably not the best fit either. It's true that opposites attract but you don't want to get into a relationship with the guy only to argue about the things that are most important and dear to you. 

3) Life-lovers are a YES.

I'm not going to be naive here. As readers, writers, and general artists, I know that probably a majority of us are going to be saddled with an ennui about life, if not a diagnosable depression. As well as this, I happen to know that as the depressive, we tend to attract similar-minded people, which can be comforting. But believe me when I say, you don't want to get into a relationship with somebody who is neutral or negative about life. 

Make sure the person you're interested in has a plan or a dream or a passion. Because if they don't, in the first place they're going to be boring (everybody needs to be passionate about something) and in the second they're probably just going to bring you down. If you tell somebody without a love for life and the future that you dream of becoming a musicion or a writer or a fucking accountant, they're more than likely just going to belittle your dream. And that's never good. Your Prince Charming simply wouldn't :)