Eye candy 101

There are so many benefits of attending a world class institution. For one thing, Duke has students from all over the globe who come to North Carolina to get educated. For another, I’m pretty sure we can all agree on the fact that there are some pretty good-looking individuals on this campus. Some are obviously hotter than others, and some just happen to be beautiful in their own special kind of way. Have you ever walked down the quad and noticed someone who just took your breath away? Someone who all you could think of was, “God damn!” If you haven’t, let’s just say you’re weird!

It is more than likely, that you’ll run across that girl or guy on campus. Sometimes, you’ll even be looking like a “hot mess” and that gorgeous work of nature will appear out of nowhere. You don’t even know what to say, you don’t know if you should smile or if you should just glare at the individual and ABSORB all that hotness. You begin to shiver like a small child, and you end up doing something dumb. You spill coffee on the floor, or you fall down while running to catch the C-2.

Well, don’t worry. You’re not the only one who goes through these things. You’re not the only one who has such feelings or who shivers/wants to scream in front of the whole world. So what do you do? Well, first of all, don’t say just anything each time you see that person. Take advantage of time and apply simple manners. Introduce yourself, say hi or talk about something you have in common.

Step one: Just be yourself. Don’t try too hard to be flirtatious, don’t try to make things up that don’t exist, but just say it like it is. While talking, smize (smile with your eyes—a term coined by the super mogul Tyra Banks). Don’t make it creepy and don’t make it awkward. Look into his or her inner soul, and look at your love interest as he or she appears to you. Open the channels of your creative or maybe dirty mind, and admire the object of your affection in unconventional ways. But, don’t forget you’re still having a conversation with him or her, even if it is just for five seconds or a couple of minutes.

Step two: Facebook stalk! Don’t pretend like you haven’t done it before. You’ve probably Facebook-ed that girl with those gorgeous blue eyes, voluptuous lips or with that impressive bosom. Girls, you’ve probably Facebook-ed that muscular guy, 5 feet 9 inches and who has that “edge” wherever he walks on campus. Facebook is your best asset, so use it. Take advantage of your mutual friends. Network. You don’t necessarily have to tell them that you are interested in Ms. X or Mr. Y. You can just easily slip your eye candy’s name into a conversation and see the feedback you get. You never know how scandalous or mysterious he or she is until you have some information.

Step three: And what happened to getting numbers? I’m sorry, but if you really like someone and you don’t have that person’s number, that’s a fail. Obviously, you should not inquire about that immediately. Once the moment is right, ask for the number. It’s not that hard.

Step four: Schedule some type of event where both of you can socialize. Preferably on the weekend, and somewhere you can go wild or mild. If both of you happen to drink, go ahead and help the social juices flow. I’m not supporting underage drinking, but it’s a great and easy way to bond. You never know what can come out after a few drinks. You can either be turned on or turned off. (You should probably hope for the first option though.)

You’d be surprised by the number of people who have crushes on other students but are less proactive that a doormat in pursuing their interest. Don’t be the kind of person who says, “Oh, I’ll make an attempt next time. Why rush?” Let me tell you, people at this wonderful school are obviously very competitive in various facets of life. So if your eye candy is still on the market, you better take that beautiful piece of nature for yourself, ASAP. Time waits for no man, so what are you waiting for? College is the best time of your life, as they say. You might as well use what you have to get what you want.