As you probably already know, I am not ashamed or embarrassed to admit that I have never been in a relationship. I humorously touched on it a little bit in my first article and spoke about the topic even further in my second article (you can and should go to https://www.theodysseyonline.com/why-tv-skewing-ou... if you have not read it yet), pointing out how reality TV's portrayal of love is making it that much more confusing for those like myself who are trying to just figure it all out. Throw in the unspoken rules of technology and online dating and you are just left with double the questions and half of the answers. Over the next two weeks, I am going to dive deep into the topic of dating and relationships because I have always been quite inquisitive. Most of all, I am smart enough to know that, while I may be very knowledgeable about history, math and other school-related subjects, the dating arena is an area that I don't fully understand. For this reason, I have sought out the wisdom and advice of world-renowned dating/relationship experts, as well as even the opinions of YouTube stars, because the lessons that they have learned from their experiences offer a fresh perspective that I have not yet had.

The first relationship expert that I am going to mention is actually new to me. After a shared Facebook post by one of my best friends, I researched into who this person was. Turns out that British expert Matthew Hussey has a featured spot in Cosmopolitan magazine and travels around the world helping women learn how to communicate to and with the opposite sex. He has even written the acclaimed book How to Get the Guy. In reading this book, I have learned that Matthew Hussey mainly focuses on the relationship dynamics between men and women. What he says is most important is that women portray themselves as what he calls "high value," meaning that they exhibit all of the characteristics of a desirable partner and expect the same in their own. Men want women who seem to have it all going for them (even if that is not actually the case) and who have have high standards and are not willing to accept anything less. They also want a partner who makes them feel important and masculine. While relationships should be serious at times, the fun and lightheartedness should never be lacking. Matthew Hussey suggests always adding just a dash of humor in your communication, especially that of the texting variety.

Anyone who has a television, computer or phone surely knows about the "Million Dollar Matchmaker," Patti Stanger--everyone except myself. Well, I'd be lying if I said that I had no idea who she was, but I never watched her show or read anything that she has written. When I just recently started watching the new season of her TV series, I immediately appreciated the blunt, but well-intended advice that she offered to her clients looking for love. What I found most intriguing about her is that she approaches love from an almost psychological standpoint, helping her clients to recognize their flaws in past relationships in order to avoid making the same mistakes again. I stumbled upon perhaps one of the best and most useful pieces of advice from Patti Stanger last night when conducting some research for this article. We have all heard of the term "player," right? What image does that one word conjure up in your head? To me, I think of someone (guy or girl) who doesn't have genuine intentions when it comes to dating. They may just pretend to like someone more than they actually do or they could even like multiple people the same amount, all at the exact same time! Patti introduced me to a new term that she calls "benching." In her words, this is a person (again, guy or girl) who does have a real romantic interest in dating a person, but only when it is convenient for them. They are what I like to call "wishy washy" and flip-flop between being interested in one person and then the other. Majority of the time, this happens when they are feeling lonely, single or a combination of the two. This is genius and now I have a true label to attach to all of the past jerks in my life, making it even easier to bid them adieu!

I also unexpectedly discovered another (Canadian) relationship expert this past weekend after one of my friends decided to cancel on our plans right before I was supposed to leave the house. Dr. Kimberly Moffit combines her doctoral degree in psychology with her expertise to bring scientifically-backed relationship advice. In the ten or so videos of hers that I have watched, here's some of the best advice that I have taken and plan on using in my own life:

1. Looks are important, but what matters most is that you look confident. Stand tall and smile!

2. Men are attracted to women who make the first move...every once in a while.

3. Never text someone more than three times in a row. It makes you not only look desperate, but also that you are not worthy of their time. There's no point in trying to chase you since they practically have you already! Relationships are all about an equal amount of give and take.

4. Anyone who texts you "yes," "no," "cool," or any other one-word response is trying to placate you. What this means is that they are trying to end the conversation before it has even begun. They don't really appear to be worth your time enough as it is, however, if you choose to give them a chance, don't respond back right away. Make them sweat it out a bit by being just as "casual."

5. Every text message needs to have a purpose behind it. Ask a question or share something funny that you just saw online. Never text someone just to text them. The whole point is for the texts to lead to something IRL.

Now, who remembers Devon Werkheiser? Does the name "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide" ring any bells? Well, hopefully it does, because this was one of the shows that I grew up watching as a teenager. Obviously, it has been years since the show ended, but Devon has taken to YouTube to make our dreams of a real life survival guide a reality. Every Monday, this "wise Buddha," as I call him, shares his thoughts on love and life. He encourages all of his viewers to appreciate themselves and do the same of every person, opportunity and experience that they come across. You'd have to watch all of his episodes to truly see how inspiring his words are, yet the one piece of advice that he said in a recent episode stuck out to me in particular: the "friend zone" is bull-! Devon believes that you should not remain friends with someone if you are always hoping that they will come to some grand realization that they should have been with you all along. You are just setting yourself up for disappointment. Even fellow YouTuber Tom Flynn (JustTom) agrees, but he won't come from the same sweet place as Devon. He will tell you point blank to avoid f**kboys at all costs! Point taken, guys!