By Anna Aphrodesia
“Can I help you?” The thought, or in some cases the response, that many women feel after a man glares at them and sizes them up.
Living in New York City this summer, I was appalled by the blatant rudeness of many men. I did see many affectionate couples (some a little too affectionate) all around the city and I thought, “Where did these women find these men?” Most of the men I encountered in the city were immature and extremely ill-mannered when it came to matters of courtship.
Although women have become more forward in relationships, in some cases being the ones who ask out the guys, it seems that many men are reverting back to their days of juvenility.
To all the guys that seem to think middle school courtship is making a comeback, here are some things that will never be in style.
1. Staring, glaring and gawking. These are no ways to get a woman’s attention, at least not in a positive way. While they may be the least offensive routes a man can take, it still makes women feel awkward and uncomfortable.
“Even when you try to stare back and make them uncomfortable, it doesn’t work,” one woman shares.
The worst is when men turn their heads or make it blatantly obvious they are checking you out. Staring is rude and women are not parading around the city for men’s personal enjoyment.
2. Vulgar gestures. This one pretty much speaks for itself. If you are using a vulgar gesture in an attempt to pick up a girl, the only gesture you will be doing is jerking yourself off.
3. Whistling and other cat calls. This is a great way to get a girl’s attention. It not only let’s her know that you have absolutely no respect for her, but that you also have nothing mildly intelligent to say. There is nothing more degrading than being whistled at. It might work for a farmer to call in his animals, but it will never get you a phone number, let alone a date.
4. Bad pickup lines. Sometimes bad pick up lines can break the ice, but generally they are tacky. If you are going to open your mouth to speak, hopefully you have something a little more intelligent to say than a cheesy pick up line.
5. Giving your business card. Unless you are closing a business deal or about to engage in any kind of business, giving a girl your card in the hopes of setting up a date will most likely not work. It comes across as cocky. It says I’m important enough to have a business card, but not social enough to think of a normal way to ask you out.
6. Following a girl. This is border-line stalker. A guy once followed me down the street while trying to convince me to let him take me to dinner. The only thing that he had convinced me of was that he was a total creep. Unless a girl seems genuinely interested, I don’t recommend following her.
It seems that guys get so caught up in trying to get a girl’s attention and trying to impress her, that they forget to be themselves. Next time you see a pretty girl, start with a simple hello.