By Magdalena Knapp, Editor
You either love it or hate it – and no, we are not talking about Marmite… we are talking about Valentine’s Day. February the 14th, depending on your relationship status, is either the day of lovers or global singles awareness day. For some people the birds might sing a little louder that day, the grass might be a little greener, and the sun’s rays a bit brighter. For other people, Valentine’s Day means hiding in their room, making no noises, and pretending to not exist. Either can be fun. Although one of the two options might be cheaper.
However, if you want to enjoy the day spending a ridiculous amount of money on chocolate, roses, and a dinner in a fancy restaurant, while having a conversation with a special someone you have not had the chance to ask out yet – this might be the right article for you.
One of the most important things when dating (besides your fantastic, unique, and adorable personality, of course) is your appearance. While most college students’ outfits are “whatever is on top of the laundry chair and does not smell too bad”, the outfit you want to wear the day you face your future Valentine should be chosen wisely. You do not want to wear an outfit you wear on a daily basis, instead make sure you choose something nice that makes you feel confident. The morning before talking to your crush make sure to take a long shower and brush thoroughly all 28 of your teeth, and even put on some of that perfume or cologne that you almost never use because it is too expensive. Prepared like this you are good to go!
The next step in getting a Valentine’s date is to actually talk to your chosen one. Be smart, make jokes, and be a little flirty. Try to find the right mixture between shyness and confidence. Start up an interesting conversation about the things that you know he or she might like, and when the moment is right, ask the famous question: “Will you be my Valentine?” “Do you want to go on a date on Valentine’s day?” works too! Sometimes you might also want to think of a different, more unique way of asking; a flash mob, a poster, or the traditional bouquet of flowers are all great ideas that anyone would have a hard time saying no to.
If your crush does not agree to a date with you, do not worry! There is still hope for you. Your solution: Tinder.
It is never too late for you to create a unique and eye-catching Tinder profile for Valentine’s Day to simply swipe right through and find your Valentine. There are a few simple rules that you need to follow to attract the right people.
– You need at least three decent pictures of yourself; no group pictures, though.
– Try to smile in the pictures; no one likes to go out with a grumpy Valentine.
– Show your interest in the other person, but keep it decent.
– Keep your bio simple and short; no one likes to read a novel while swiping, and it will give you more things to talk about during your date.
– When you text your future Valentine, say more than just “Hi” – add a question or a random fact that makes the person want to talk to you more.
– A study has shown that people who used emoji in the chat get 60% less responses, so if you want to have a date on Valentine’s Day, for goodness sake, do not use emoji!
A Tinder account might not be the conventional way to get a date for Valentine’s Day, but you never know, maybe you will meet your significant other right there, two days before Valentine’s Day!
So get to swiping!
Illustration credits: Benjamin Richter
Fun article Magdalena!
My favorite advice: be agreeable. Don’t try to control the conversation or manipulate the other. Instead, listen carefully to the other person and then contribute to thier discussion by asking them questions, or sharing similar stories. I think our society has pushed us so much to have control, that we never really listen.
I thought the article was a very humorous way of looking at Valentines day. I got a vibe that the author didn’t have a significant other to spend the way with because at times it sounded a tad bitter. However, I don’t disagree that this holiday tends to be expensive, specifically for the men in the relationship. The part that stood out the most was definitely the Tinder section. I highly doubt one will find their significant other on there due to its reputation, but its a great way to find a quick date if that is something that person is okay with. Overall it was a nice read, and I enjoyed the writers unique take on this romantic holiday.