CRUSHES

If you’re out at the mall, the boys you’d want to meet are the ones who shop in the same places as you, since that obviously means you have a shared interest. As a girl, use your superior fashion sense to help us style-challenged guys out. For example, if you’re at Urban Outfitters, American Eagle or Hollister and you see a guy having a hard time figuring out which shirt is better, you could stop by and tell him with a friendly smile, “I think that one looks best on you.” I’ve always appreciated girls giving me fashion advice. It saves us guys a headache, starts a convo and gets us thinking that you’re a really nice and helpful girl.


Your tried ‘n’ true pizza parlor, fast food joint or local ice cream scoop is also a great place to approach a guy. Everyone’s happy and chilled out when they’re enjoying something delicious, so any dude is sure to be open and friendly. If you’re standing in line near a guy, say you’re a regular here, but you’re looking to try something new—what would he suggest? If he's seated at a table, walk past, and point out that what he's eating looks great—what is it, and would he recommend it? Being guys we tend to love giving our opinion about everything—especially food—so it’s a great way to get talking.


OK, so this one is a little tough, because you wouldn’t want to go up to a guy in a dark theater and ask him what he thinks is gonna happen next (pretty creepy!). Since you’re both stoked about the movies (bonus if he’s seeing the same flick you are), go ahead and impress him with what you’ve read about the film or heard about it. After that, this is a little like #2, but go back and ask him what he thinks about it. Spot a guy AFTER the show? Bring up specific parts that you really liked (especially anything action-packed) and say, “What did you think?”


Ah, ice skating. Sure, it’s fun to watch people acing axels in the Olympics, but in real life not everybody is as skilled. There are definitely lots of athletic boys at an ice skating rink, so if you’re a beginner, it’s the perfect excuse to ask a guy for some help. Already pretty good on ice? There’s always room to learn more moves. Ask a skilled guy to show you how to skate backwards or a hockey player to teach you something about his game. Boys love showing off what THEY’VE learned, especially when it comes to sports. On the flip side, if you see a really unskilled boy hanging on to the boards, offer YOUR help and give him some tips.



I know it sounds cliché, but the first rule of thumb is to just be yourself. If a boy doesn’t like you for who you are, then it’s just not worth it. Keep the conversation going and it always helps to have friends around (um, but not an all-out posse—‘cause that’s intimidating). As long as you’re relaxed and confident, it all just comes down to making friendly comments, which boys are ALWAYS excited to get from a girl, believe me.

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