He Said, She Said

He Said: “When they constantly check your text messages, phone calls and Facebook,” Joey Mack, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, said.

She Said: “I would have to say when they are too clingy and they don’t try. I just hate it when guys don’t treat girls like they should!” Hailey Boner, a freshman majoring in business marketing, said.

Bad habits such as nail biting, mumbling, saying “like,” and burping at the dinner table frequently become a cause for annoyance, but these small things usually do not constitute ending a relationship. On the other hand, people constantly hear about definite deal-breakers: lying, excessive smoking or drinking, cheating and abuse.

The habits that rarely get mentioned, though, are the ones of interest. Everyone knows people with one of these tendencies, and no one wants to date them. So in case you are wondering why people keep avoiding you or sprinting in the opposite direction when you walk by, it could be because you really need to “cut the habit.”

The most obvious deal-breaker: poor hygiene
Just to clarify: If you take pride in the fact that you can go for weeks without showering or brushing your teeth, your breath alone will be a deal-breaker. Likewise, not knowing how to operate a washer is no excuse to wear the same shirt four days in a row. Bad hygiene can be a major factor in how you come across to the opposite sex.

A less obvious deal-breaker: the “One-Upper”

This guy is the one who always has a better story than the one that was just told. If you find that people constantly reply, “Cool story, bro” to your awesomely exaggerated tales, you might be this guy. Few people want to date someone who is constantly outdoing them. Cut this habit fast.

Along the same lines: Mr. or Mrs. Always Right
No matter what gets said, these people always believe that they are more right than the rest of the group, and they will proclaim it to their death. But if you do not want to die alone with a lot of useless opinions, tone it down. People appreciate intelligence, just not when it is shoved at them constantly to prove that they are wrong.

One very important reminder is to gage the other person’s reaction. When the conversation focuses less on you being awesome or correct, and more on listening to what the other person has to say, you have a much better chance of being liked. And hey, a shower never hurts either.

Next week’s question:
“Is it okay to lie to a significant other?”

Have an answer? Email it plus your name, major and year in school, to hesaidshesaid.spec@gmail.com.