(This post is oriented towards heterosexual geek boys looking to enter a relationship with a girl. It’s an article I’ve asked to write a number of times so I figure here is a good a place as any)

I have been asked an indefinite number of times by my male friends on how to attract women into their lives. Considering the amazing people that a lot of nerd boys tend to be, I’m always shocked that they’ve not been snatched up by some other girl. But that’s a rant for another day…

I have compiled a 3 point (though by no means exhaustive list) of things nerdling boys can do to attract that girl of their dreams.

1) SMILE!- Boys, I can’t emphasize this enough. You may be too shy to start up a conversation with that beauty who sits in lab with you, but the least you can do is make yourself seem approachable. I had a friend (we’ll call him Adam) who was a computer science major. He was smart, funny, and kind. His only problem was that he was cripplingly shy. I told him nothing more than to smile at his classmates as they came in to class. Within two weeks he was calling me up, eager to tell me he’d found love! Of course, he was exaggerating, but he HAD gotten a date with the girl he’d been crushing on since his arrival at the university. The truth is, guys, a lot of time we girls KNOW you’re shy but we need some sort of affirmation that you’re interested in us. Smiling makes you seem like a positive person and believe me, outside of MySpace, no one wants to spend their days with a boyfriend who’s miserable all the time. It’s VERY important to note the difference between a smile and a leer! For those who have trouble telling the difference this is a leer and this is a smile. Simply put, any expression you’d feel weird about making at your grandmother…probably a leer. If you’re someone who doesn’t smile often; practice! A few minutes in front of the mirror practicing before
2) Keep yourself looking neat- Alright, now I understand that one of the hallmarks of geekdom is we don’t care a whole lot about our appearance. I’m not saying to go out and buy an Armani suit here, just that basic hygiene is definitely a plus! Make sure you make friends with deodorant. You may need to apply more than once a day if you live in a hot climate or have active sweat glands. You may think people can’t really notice it, but if you lean over close enough to ask someone out, believe me, we can! Make sure you change your shirts every day. It’s not so bad seeing a pizza stain on your shirt but seeing that same shirt with that same pizza stain on you three to four days in a row… well, lets just say it doesn’t look good. You may see commercials for Axe products where women are flinging themselves left and right, enamored with the scent of this false pheromone. While products like Axe or Tag smell great a lot of men overdo it. Unless you are exceptionally dirty, you probably only need one lather of the stuff. The idea is that body care products illicit a nice pleasant scent to those close to you, not bombard the senses of everyone you happen to pass in the hallway.
3) Be kind to those who approach you- Let’s face it. A lot of the time “normals” are dumb beyond all rational reason. I can completely understand if you don’t WANT to interact with them, but we girls are watching this. I’m not saying you need to bend over backwards to serve those around you, but if someone asks you what was due next week try not to blow them off with “Look it up!”. Shyer girls often observe how you interact with other people (what they see as others taking a risk with you) to gauge how you’d take to them approaching you. I didn’t say it was right, or even fair, but that’s sadly what a lot of them do.

I’m not marketing these tips as some sort of ‘hatch-a-girlfriend’ but the mastery of these three things WILL improve your marketability in the social realm. Brazen girls might approach you and ask YOU out even if you’ve only mastered part one, as was the case with my dear friend Adam. Try not to be too stunned by this. I know many people think that the guy should be the one doing the asking but the truth is it’s a changing social world. Don’t turn her down just because you feel ashamed or emasculated by the act. It takes guts to do it and it hurts us just as much when you say no.