Students dish on their dating techniques
Many students at USU are at a time in their lives where they are still single. Because of this, dating and it’s intricacies play a large part in the lives of many Aggies. Dating techniques are employed by both sexes involved in the love scene, and men and female students have a lot of opinions on the topic. – calewp@gmail.com
Many men on campus find themselves confused about what signals a girl is trying to send them, and often women are frustrated about men not understanding those signals. Social media, body language, texting and verbal communication are some of the various ways to send signals to men.
Bailey Howard, a freshman majoring in psychology, said she uses post-date texting to let a guy know she’s interested.
“After I go on a date with someone I wait until I think they are home, and if I’m interested, I text them to let them know I had a good time,” she said.
“I try to avoid texts in dating just because it’s so ambiguous and you miss out on the communication and signals that happen face-to-face,” said Michael Dressman, a junior majoring in psychology. “If I do get the after-date text, chances are I’ll ask her out again. But if I liked the girl and didn’t get the text, I would probably still ask her out again.”
Howard said she uses body language. “If we’re driving and I want to hold his hand I’ll pretend to see something out the window and casually touch their hand as I’m pointing,” she said.
Lauren Goettsche, a junior majoring in FCHD, uses another approach.
“If I am interested in a guy and we have hung out a few times or gone on a few dates, I will crack a joke about making out or something,” Goettsche said. “I’ll say something like, ‘Kyle, when was the last time we made out?’ just to put the idea in their head. That way, when the time comes for them to kiss me, it’s not the first time it’s crossed their mind – they’ve been thinking about it all night.”
“It was already going through my mind,” said junior majoring in business Joe Fitch of this method.
“If I see a guy and think he’s cute, I’ll add him on Facebook and message him,” said Lindsay Draper, an undeclared sophomore.
“I love to talk on the phone and I’ll call them if I’m interested,” said Briana Elwell, a sophomore majoring in early childhood education. “I also ask them a lot more questions.”
“I love it when they ask questions,” Dressman said. “I hate coming off a date and feeling like, okay, I know who you are, but you don’t know me. I like it when a girl is interested enough that the conversation goes both ways.”
“A word to a guy means a lot more than it does to a girl,” said John Penrod, a senior majoring in sociology. “I think guys need to work on body language, but girls need to work on verbal communication. The last girl that I really liked didn’t play games and we communicated effectively. It was a good give-take relationship. It was balanced.”
Other girls are in favor of being themselves.
“You’ve got to be worse at being something you’re not than being something you are,” said graduate student majoring in mathematics Leah Wilson. “I think girls are so concerned about how they’re being perceived on a date that they miss the boat on getting to know the person who asked them out, which is the whole purpose of the date.”
Lindsay Ferrin, a junior majoring in English literature, said she uses a practice related to this.
“I don’t like getting too cute for boys,” she said. “I want to look nice of course, but I just want to be chill. Then when you do get dressed up its like, ‘Wow, You look really nice.’ It is also kind of a way to filter out the guys who are a little more superficial.”
Nearly all of the boys interviewed said “just being yourself” is a great way to go.
“I think that if girls just acted like themselves right from the first date that people would be able to find out much faster who the other person really is,” said Austin Rayfield, a senior majoring in finance. “There would be a lot less disappointment in dating. It would make dating more fun and enjoyable because you wouldn’t be worrying and second guessing about what they’re thinking. You’d be able to just have fun and enjoy each other’s company.”