5 Things They'll Love About You
When you type the phrase “how to make someone” into the Google search bar, the Autocomplete feature offers interesting suggestions. The first recommendation finishes the sentence with “fall in love with you.” “Laugh”, “feel better”, and “pass out” pop up next, in that order. Big question mark to that last one.
Clearly people have taken to the Internet to find answers to the age-old question of how to win someone’s affection. It’s honestly no surprise that this inquiry is the number one search right before V-Day. Come to think of it, the other popular searches don’t shock either. Whether it’s how to support your galentine or practice sexual suffocation, everyone has her own kink to celebrate the holiday.
Seriously though, how can we score a Valentine? The simple answer that your mother would give: be yourself.
Wow. Revolutionary. *Flocks of suitors appear at doorstep mere moments after existing as one’s true self* While that is undoubtedly the most annoying piece of love advice to exist, it’s not not true. And yet here you sit, reading this article and wondering if your dad (read: the only man who loves you) remembered to send chocolate this year.
Being yourself is important because, duh. But when all your friends have romantic reservations on the 14th, that’s not what you want to hear. Luckily, we have ~science~ to shed some light on this conundrum. According to psychology, love and attraction correlate with random factors like where you live and whether or not you have a yellow lab. What else might inspire someone to buy you shitty chocolate from CVS? Skip the desperate Google research, I did it for you. Here are 5 things that make someone fall in love:
Flirt with the boy next door
Results from an MIT experiment conclude that students feel more connected with those whose dorm rooms are closest to their own. Awkwardly walking past your hot neighbor in a towel on the reg might actually be working in your favor. These brief meetings make people feel more intimate. This is known as the mere exposure effect, which suggests that familiarity plays a big role in attraction.
Instagram your dog
According to University of Michigan researchers, owning a pet signals that a person is nurturing and willing to commit to a relationship. It also makes you appear more approachable and happy. Think about how many times you’ve stopped and talked to strangers just to pet their dog, when normally you’d stare down at your phone. Bitches love puppies.
Buy her a drink
Remember that time you swore she was a 10 at the bar but you woke up next to a 4? The mystery of beer goggles is actually backed up by psychology. People associate facial symmetry with attractiveness. When you’re on your third glass of wine, your ability to detect asymmetrical faces diminishes. Courtesy of her blurred vision, that dime might think you’re as handsome as your mom says you are.
Update your profile pic
Christian Rudder, founder of OkCupid, examined which images are most successful on his dating site. For ladies: a coy, high-angle selfie that looks like you’re “flirting with the camera” will get you noticed. For the dudes, women are attracted to men who are holding animals or doing something adventurous in their photo. Apparently that skydiving pic is as cool as you thought it was.
Flash those pearly whites
If you suffered through three years of metal in your mouth, show off the results. Researchers in Switzerland explored the correlation between attractiveness and happiness. They discovered that people's levels of attraction were influenced by the intensity of a smile shown on a face. It’s no surprise that people will be drawn to you if you’re not scowling.
If you’ve got your eye on someone special, keep these tricks in mind. You never know what might work. Just saying—I met my person when I was drunk in a frat basement, then found out he lived on the floor below me, loves his Golden Retriever, and has great oral hygiene. Psychology, man.