Favorite pick-up lines, treats, and gifts

What’s the worst V-Day gift you have ever received? I have never received a bad Valentine’s Day gift, but I imagine not receiving one would be pretty bad. — KK
Chocolate roses and a chocolate champagne bottle. So tacky. — JT
My ex of two weeks started dating my crush on V-Day. — DM
I’ve been pretty lucky as far as gifts go. I got a weirdly cool one, though: my grandmother sent me chocolate chip cookies in an old coffee canister. So the cookies tasted a little like caffeine, which was an unexpected but awesome pick-me-up. — AY
In eighth grade, my boyfriend bought me a rose that cost $1 from CVS. — CM
I’ve always received nice Valentine’s gifts, but a couple of years ago my boyfriend took me for a quick lunch instead of dinner because he wanted to watch the football [soccer] at night. I wasn’t too impressed with that. — AB
One single Sweetheart candy. — CJ
A hideous black teddy bear...more like an ape. — KM

What’s your favorite pick-up line? Has it ever worked? “Will you be my girlfriend?” Yes. — KK
“I’d better call the police because you stole my heart.” — DM “I want to be your derivative so that I can lie tangent to your curves.” I’m a math and physics major, give me a break. — AY
I was really drunk and in a club one night, and joking with a boy I liked, I said I thought he was gay. He denied it and so I told him to prove it by kissing me. Cringe! It must have worked though because he’s flying from the UK to visit me during spring break! — AB
“You like Radiohead too? Let’s go out.” It’s worked too many times to count on hands. — CJ

What would you recommend singles do on this day? Find another single person or their secret crush and ask them, “Will you be my valentine?” — KK
It’s just another day — I say everyone should ignore “Hallmark holidays.” — JT
Buy yourself a box of chocolates. They’re tasty. — DM
Give gifts to their friends and mooch chocolate off their families. Trust me on this one: everyone loves giving chocolate to you. Let them do it. — AY
Eat red velvet cake batter. Alone. — CM
Go out clubbing with friends! Or get a big bunch of friends together and go for a meal, or have a movie night in or something. Just don’t spend it alone! — AB
Listen to a great playlist of songs and hang out with other singles. — CJ
Friends can play secret valentine... or take each other out. — KM

What do you look for in the people you date?
A good personality. — KK
Humor, wit, not taking oneself too seriously. — JT
Hopefully, that they have an interest in me. — DM
Dry humor, the ability to cook chicken Alfredo, a brooding manner, and really nice hips. — AY
Sense of humor. — CM
A boy with a good personality, who makes me laugh and can hold a decent conversation. A good sense of humor is so important. — AB
Uniqueness, interest, and beauty (in that order). — CJ

What do you think is the sexiest food item?
Ketchup! It is red, tasty, and goes with everything. — KK Contrary to what PETA says, I believe in the sexiness of a well-cooked piece of meat. Take chicken cacciatore for example. Just say the name a few times, savoring it as it passes across your tongue. Yeah, you get my point. — AY
Blue Raspberry Jolly Ranchers, because they turn your mouth blue. — CM
I don’t know... chocolate, maybe? — AB
Chocolate. It’s a no-brainer. — CJ
Chocolate covered strawberries. — KM

What is the one thing you always do before a first date?
Confirm plans for the evening. — KK
Shower. — JT
Showering is always a good idea. — DM
Practice smiling different ways in the mirror. This inevitably devolves into making weird faces at myself for at least five minutes before I realize that I’m going to be late and then leave. — AY
Brush my teeth? — CM
Call my friends to discuss what I should wear. — AB
Make a friend or relative do the smell test. — CJ
Check three times in the mirror. — KM

What’s your perfect V-day gift?
One that is given from the heart. — KK
Surprise kisses. — DM
Something that surprises me because I didn’t know that the other person knew me that well. — AY
A decent boyfriend? — CM
Something simple and personal that means something. A mix tape is perfect, or a homemade card. I hate over the top gifts and empty grand gestures. — AB
A homemade card. — CJ

KK — Kathryn Kukla | Production Manager
JT — Jessica Thurston | Art Editor
DM — Douglas McIntyre | Copy Manager
AY — Alex Yuschik | Staffwriter
CM — Claire Morgenstern | Contributing Editor
AB — Aimee Beveridge | Junior Staffwriter
CJ — Christopher Jarett | Junior Staffwriter
KM — Kristine McPherson | Staffwriter