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Identify Yourself
Different Girls Date Differently
Now for the hard talk...if you're looking for that one, mysterious "secret" to dating — then you can just close this book right now and go look somewhere else. In case you haven't figured it out yet, dating is complicated, guys are complicated — girls are complicated — so why do we expect dating strategy to be simple?
That doesn't mean that figuring out what you want and don't want from guys has to be some long, arduous process. This is dating, not trekking through Siberia! It's just that sometimes knowing what you want from guys means knowing yourself. That takes a little soul-searching. Lauren, Whitney, Audrina, and Heidi are our dating guides, but they're just girls too. In the end, you're going to have to fi gure out what you want. And you're the only one who can do that.
But first, let's take a deeper look at the four girls, so you can see whom you relate to best. Are you a Lauren, a Whitney, an Audrina, or a Heidi?
IF YOU'RE A LAUREN...
You're hardworking, responsible, and driven. driven. You set clear, ambitious goals for yourself, and you don't give up until they become a reality.
If you had your choice, you'd rather go to dinner with a small group of your close friends than hang out at a party with a bunch of people you just met. Loyalty is huge with you. You love your close friends, and they know exactly how you feel about them. They can rely on you, and you expect the same from them.
You like to go out and have fun, but you don't let partying get in the way of doing well at work. When a big project is done, you have no problem going out with your friends to celebrate, but you wait until after meeting the big deadline, not before.
For a Lauren, the world of dating is both a challenge and a thrill. At times you find it fun and exciting, and at other times it's confusing and frustrating. You go out on your share of dates, but you tend to know right away when a guy isn't right for you. You're the type to make a polite excuse and end the date early — you don't want to hurt his feelings, but you also don't want to waste your evening!
Your casual relationships don't tend to last long, but when you're in a serious relationship, you throw everything you have into it, And you never hold anything back. You're a firm believer in true love, and you give your whole heart without fear of the consequences. As a result you've had your heart broken a few times, but you're just not the type to be guarded or reserved when it comes to romance.
IF YOU'RE A WHITNEY...
You know who you are and what you believe in. You know exactly how you want to be treated, and any guy who doesn't respect that won't last too long. In your opinion, being in a relationship doesn't mean changing who you are as a person — if a guy doesn't like you as you are, he can go find another girl.
For a Whitney, love is serious business. You're not much interested in casual dating or hooking up, and bad boys who might be good for a fling just aren't your thing. You want to date guys who are interested in a long-term girlfriend. You'd rather go for a long walk to get to know someone than try to shout over people in a noisy club. You're careful and cautious before diving into a new relationship. When you're first getting to know someone, you take things slowly.
When you finally decide to take the plunge with a new relationship, things tend to get serious quickly. You want what you have with your new guy to be exclusive — that means you and only you — and you expect him to feel the same way. When you're in a relationship, you like to share your feelings — if your new guy can't be honest, he better figure out how fast. You have no patience for playing games.
You are a loving and committed girlfriend, and you demand the same in return. While you are trusting and laid-back, you don't give your boyfriends a lot of room to screw around. You know that without trust, no relationship can survive. Secrets and lies have no place in the relationship of a Whitney.
IF YOU'RE AN AUDRINA...
You like what you like, you know what you like, and there's not a whole lot anyone else can say about it. What other people like isn't very interesting to you. What other people think you should like isn't interesting at all.
You have a big group of friends in your life, and that's the way you like it. You're definitely at home in the club scene and can't think of a better way to spend a night than rocking it out on the dance floor. You don't spend a lot of time judging yourself, and you're not much interested in judging your friends either. In your opinion, everyone should live her life the way she wants — you certainly do! You're really not into a whole lot of drama. When it comes to fights, you'd rather just let things slide instead of making a big deal out of them. One exception: your friends. They all know that when they're in trouble, an Audrina will have their back — no matter what!
Still, as much as you value your friends, you can't always please them. You're more than happy to listen to their advice, but in the end you like to do things your way — and sometimes that's not their way. If Lauren thinks a certain guy isn't good enough for you, you'll listen to her thoughts. But you might still go out with him — after all, you like him, and that's what matters.
You're a bit of an alternative girl and you like your guys to match. You usually go for the arty guys, even when your friends think they're too scruffy. To an Audrina, ordinary, preppy types are just boring. You've learned the hard way, though, how it feels to be abandoned — rebels aren't usually the most reliable boyfriends. But in the end, it doesn't matter. You're the type who would rather risk the deep lows of arguments and slammed doors if you can also have the highs of wild motorcycle rides and after-hours dips in the ocean. You're not going to choose a boring guy simply because he's a safe bet, and you're not going to pretend to love somebody just to please your friends.
IF YOU'RE A HEIDI...
You've never had trouble with guys — for you, scoring dates has always been as easy as scoring shoes. You're always ready to have fun, whether it's at a club, at a party, or just lounging at home, and guys love that about you. What's more, you've never had any trouble getting boys to do what you want — you can be very persuasive!
You've got the reputation as a party girl who can flirt with one guy at a club while getting another one to buy you a drink. But even though you might have looked and acted like a player, in your heart you're really just waiting for that one special someone to come along and sweep you off your feet.
When you do find your prince, a Heidi is in no hurry to wait. If the guy is right for you, you're ready to get serious: move in together, even get engaged! You've already figured out what you want, so why wait? When other girls are reaching for the brakes, you're just shifting into third gear.
Of course, not every guy can keep up with all your energy, so you don't waste your time with wimpy guys who stand in the corner waiting for something to happen. Your ideal type is a male version of you: ambitious, assertive, loud, funny. You won't settle until you meet your match.
A Heidi isn't one to hide her feelings: you always tell your boyfriend exactly how you feel. Whether it's poetry, love letters, or the last thing he hears before he goes to sleep, your emotions are never a secret. After all, you love the guy, so why not tell him?
Once you've scored an amazing guy, you're reluctant to let him go — in fact, you'd rather spend time with him than with anyone else. You can be possessive — even thinking of your guy with another girl makes you sick. When you're in a relationship, you don't have a lot of time for your old friends, but this is a price you're happy to pay.
The Whilaurdrineidi Quiz
Still haven't pegged yourself as a Lauren, Whitney, Audrina, or Heidi? Take this quiz.
Are you the type of girl who'd go out with a guy just for his smile or break up with a boy just for his bad breath? Was your first kiss an epic romantic moment, or a symphony of awkwardness? What do you lie to boys about?
Take this quiz, and choose the answers that best apply to you and your life. Then check your answers to see whom you most resemble.
1. What's your perfect date?
(a) Takeout and a DVD — quiet and intimate
(b) Going to a hockey game — nothing fancy
(c) A guy cooking for you and sharing a bottle of wine — small and romantic
(d) Getting dressed up and meeting a bunch of friends — big and festive
2. Who's your celebrity crush?
(a) I don't like celebrities, I like real people (b) Mark Wahlberg
(c) Ryan Gosling
(d) Henry Cavill
3. What's your favorite romantic movie?
(a) The Notebook
(b) Love Actually
(c) Moulin Rouge!
(d) Dirty Dancing
4. What's the most romantic place in the world?
(a) Cabo San Lucas
(b) A night on the beach
(c) Paris
(d) A sunset on the beach
5. What's your idea of a perfect Valentine's Day gift?
(a) Diamonds
(b) A self-made valentine
(c) A handwritten letter
(d) His singing me a song he wrote himself
6. I love a guy who wears...
(a) A little scruff
(b) Vintage clothing
(c) Jeans and a T€‘shirt
(d) Good-smelling cologne
7. The most important quality in a boyfriend is...
(a) Thoughtfulness
(b) His support
(c) Being a good listener
(d) Respect
8. I once dated a guy just for his...
(a) Smile
(b) Car
(c) I always look for the total package
(d) Looks
9. I once broke up with a guy just for his...
(a) Odor
(b) Laugh — it was the most annoying thing I ever heard
(c) Bad breath
(d) Bad attitude. I hate cocky
10. Most guys don't know I actually...
(a) Am very silly
(b) Know when they're lying to me
(c) Am a really picky person
(d) Love to ride motorcycles and dirt bikes
11. The cheesiest thing I ever said to a guy was...
(a) "I'm going to marry you" (the first night I met him!)
(b) "I like you. Do you like me?"
(c) I've never used a cheesy line on a guy
(d) "Is there an airport near here, or is that just my heart taking off?"
12. The cheesiest thing a guy ever said to me was...
(a) "Click your heels, Dorothy, and land yourself in my bed!"
(b) "You have the most beautiful eyes" (after the hundredth time he said it)
(c) Guys don't really try those kinds of lines on me
(d) "Can I be the gravy on your biscuit?" "If there were a kiss for every snowflake, I would send you a blizzard" (tie)
13. My first kiss was...
(a) Cold
(b) Awful — he stuck his tongue down my throat, then told the school I was a horrible kisser
(c) Pretty awkward — it was in a limo after a tenth-grade formal. People were cheering
(d) Fantastic
14. I only lie to boys when talking about...
(a) Spending habits
(b) Exes and other boys
(c) I try not to lie, but sometimes bend the truth when they want to make plans
(d) My beauty secrets
Answer key: a = Heidi, b = Lauren, c = Whitney, d = Audrina Copyright © 2008 by MTV Networks.
