It’s like being given free reign with the finger paints as a kid when you’re dating in your twenties. It’s vibrant, untidy, and contains items that aren’t necessarily intended for human consumption, but that’s fine. You’re still young and have time to clean up your messes. Sure, that guy from high school just shared a “She said yes!” snap on Instagram, but good things take time, especially when it comes to matters of the heart, and your twenties are the time to have fun and experiment before settling down in a decade or so (if ever).
With a multitude of dating apps and activity bars making it easy to a) find someone to woo and b) keep uncomfortable first dates to a minimal, there’s probably never been a better time to be single in your twenties. It can, however, be overpowering. You can only swipe right so many times before your thumbs start to cramp. That’s why we asked four twenty-something males who have found love to provide their best dating advice, whether you’re seeking for your “the one” or just a casual fling. Layton Williams, a 25-year-old actor who is presently appearing in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie; Ahir Shah, a 29-year-old comedian; Roman Kemp, a 27-year-old Capital Breakfast anchor; and Kem Cetinay, a 23-year-old Love Island alumnus It’s time to call in the professionals.
Meeting someone…
On a night out:
Roman Kemp: “I believe it all depends on what time of night you’re out. Always make sure you’re meeting someone who is sober and with whom you can have a long talk. It’s important to be mentally as well as physically attracted to them. A bar is an excellent spot to strike up a conversation and measure someone’s overall interest. It is not a nightclub where the music is so loud that you can’t hear a word they’re saying, you’re shouting over each other, and the dialogue lasts two to three minutes.”
Kem Cetinay: “I often tell people that meeting someone in person is preferable to meeting someone online. You can see who they’re with, their pals, and what they’re like in public while you’re out. It’s better to just go over something than to sit there and dwell on it, as I’ve learned in the past. The more you wait, the more awkward it will get. Everyone, I believe, has had a circumstance when they wished they hadn’t done something and then regretted it a week or two later. I don’t use chat-up lines since I don’t have any and, even if I had, I doubt I’d be successful. Normally, I’d simply go over and try to pick up on whatever they’re doing that I could talk to them about, something casual and nice. I usually believe it’s best to just be friendly instead of going in with any lines or anything, since you never know who you’ll run with. Some individuals despise chat-up lines, regardless of how brilliant they are. I believe it makes people cringe.”
Layton Williams: “I used to have this problem where I thought people were flirting with me when they weren’t. I assume they’re flirting with me if they’re being extra kind to me. The first step for a gay boy is to determine whether or not he is gay. You don’t want to do it in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable. It takes the entire night to figure out if they’re into you, and then the Addison Lee is outside. When I was meeting a friend to watch a mutual friend in the concert, I had an awkward moment. We ran across this guy, and I swear he was staring at me the entire night. I was giving him a little leg bump and said something along the lines of, ‘Your partner is vibing with me.’ ‘Can I get his phone number?’ she asked, and she replied, ‘He has a girlfriend.’ What do you mean? That’s incredible. I tweeted about it, not expecting him to see it, and I messaged my friend, who said, ‘Look who I’m with.’ He was aware.”
Ahir Shah: “It’s the kind of thing where I think you have to convince yourself that certain aspects of your life are enjoyable, or else you’ll be depressed by it all. It’s in perfect condition. My girlfriend and I were out shopping for lunch a few weeks back when we had this talk. We’d been out the night before. ‘God, do you remember when that was us?’ we said. And we were both like, “Yeah.” We’re both delighted that’s what we’ve got in the back of our minds.”
