Pick-Up Tips from Mr. Confident ⋆ College Magazine

By Nicole Martin > Sophomore > Journalism and Sociology > Penn State University; Photo courtesty of Matt Smeltzer

“I’m confident about who I am,” said Matt Smeltzer, a 21-year-old secondary education major at Clarion University. Here are Matt’s tips on picking up the self-described Mr. Confident.

CM: What makes you so confident?

M: I just have a personality where I know what I want and I know what I believe in so I just know who I am as a person and that makes me able to feel confident about myself.

CM: How do you avoid crossing the line between confident to cocky?
M: Watch your tone when you say good things pertaining to yourself. "I’m a good looking guy" can easily become "I am the greatest thing since sliced bread" if you don’t watch how you say things.

CM: Who do you find sexier: someone who is shy or someone who is confident?
M: Confident, hands down. However, I have been known to drag out the confident person in a shy person once they’ve been around me long enough. I like someone with a little attitude as opposed to a wallflower. I think it’s attractive when someone is able to stand up for themselves.

CM: What would you suggest for shy people to do to become more confident?
M: Focus on your good qualities. Everyone is good at something whether they notice it or not. Ask your friends why they like you, sometimes this will help you realize positive aspects of yourself.

CM: What is the main thing you look for in a potential partner?
M: It’s hard to choose between honesty and respect, but they somewhat go hand in hand. I’d rather someone tell me exactly how they feel than sugarcoat it. Honesty makes everything better and clearer, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

CM: What is your number one turn-off conversation topic?
M: Silence. If you can’t find anything to talk about, there’s going to be problems. I’m a pretty open person and I can carry on a conversation about anything, just open up!

CM: What is your favorite pick-up line?
M: None. They are cheesy and incredibly lame, but if I had to be ridiculous, "stand still so I can pick you up!"

CM: What is the boldest move someone has made on you?
M: Spilled their guts about liking me in such an over-dramatic manner that I wasn’t even sure what to do with it.

CM: How do you let down someone you’re uninterested in?
M: Tell them about who I’m actually interested in. It might sound like a d**k move but it works. They get the hint.

CM: What tells more about a person’s confidence: how they dance, dress or kiss?
M: I would say dress. If you dress well, you generally have more confidence.

CM: All right, last question, what advice would you give to someone who wants to pick you up?
M: Be yourself!