Girl meets boy.
Boy says, “Hi, how are you?”
Girl responds.
Boy says, “It’s nice to meet you,” and offers his hand to shake.
Girl shakes his hand. She is flattered and says, “Nice to meet you, too.” And she doesn’t just say it, she really means it.
So you might have figured it out—I’m the girl and the boy is someone I recently met this past week. I haven’t talked with or seen him since meeting him, but I will remember him.
No, I didn’t instantly fall in love with him or anything dramatic like that. I’m not that desperate. But I may sound simple-minded by saying his humble offer of his hand to shake was memorable. Mature. Comforting.
I am friends with only a handful of guys in college who would offer a handshake when they meet girls. Call me old fashioned, but that’s the best way to start a guy-girl friendship (of course, I’m not saying not shaking hands means that a potential relationship is going to be horrible—there are some instances where shaking hands would be awkward when you meet a guy or girl). Hopefully I am not going too far as to say it is probably more likely that you could start dating if you meet and shake hands as well.
This may also sound weird (maybe I’m the only one who thinks this) but there’s something about meeting a stranger of the opposite sex who is willing to break a physical barrier. In college in my generation, it seems like everyone has a bubble. It’s like an unspoken rule that you’re not supposed to touch someone (even by accident) before you’re basically besties; even if it’s by accident, we apologize for invading someone’s bubble. By touching and shaking hands, that stranger is saying, “I’m OK with being near you, I’d like you to be OK with being near me too.” It also allows the two sexes to feel they are equals in the acquaintanceship.
Having a man offer his hand to shake is also like a confidence boost for those girls who are a little more timid and introverted. Putting our little hand in your manly hand reassures us that socializing isn’t that scary. Guys aren’t that scary. They are flesh and bone and heart and soul like us and they want to actually talk with us.
There are so many people from our parents' and grandparents' generations that say our generation has lost morals. Lost their minds and manners and respect. A good ole’ handshake is like a blast to the past in my opinion—I think it’s memorable if a guy in college shakes my hand because it reminds me of people older than me who do that with every person they meet no matter what. It shows that the guy shaking your hand is mature and thoughtful and appreciates meeting new people.
To the guy who shook my hand: If I have a son, I will teach him to shake a girl’s hand like you did.
To the guys who shake my mother's hand: You've just earned yourself some brownie points.
