Valentine’s Day is one of the most loved and hated holidays. How can you guarantee a great day? Follow these easy tips and you’ll have a great V-Day!

(Photo from sc6.blogspot.com/2008)

 *Don’t have high expectations! I like to give boys the benefit of the doubt. But truthfully, most boys don’t understand the significance of major holidays. “My boyfriend doesn’t get why Valentine’s Day is important to me. I like flowers, chocolate and the whole thing. But boys just don’t understand that,” says Carrie, 22, Raleigh, NC.

*Boys don’t like to plan. Take the reins and you plan the date! Make reservations for a quaint restaurant or if you’re extra ambitious, plan a picnic in a romantic park. If you decide to go out to eat, be sure to do it a few weeks in advance! Restaurants book up fast on Valentine’s Day.

*If you’re picking out gifts, keep it simple. A DVD or a box of chocolate is a perfect present for the one you love. But remember, it’s about the love- not the presents! Show your boy toy that you care about him, and all will be well.

*Do things differently. While Valentine’s Day is a little overrated, it is a special day! Mix it up a little. Go to a different restaurant for dinner. Do something crazy! Surprise your significant other with a romantic evening.

*Mixed CD’s are always a great idea. It is a great gift idea, and it is something you can play in the background during your picnic. Download “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel and “Amazed” by Lonestar.

*Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples! If you don’t have a significant other, plan a girl’s night! Buy lots of chocolate and some Welch’s Sparkling Cider, rent a chick flick starring Rob Pattinson, and enjoy Valentine’s Day.

Keep in mind that Valentine’s Day is only one day of the year. Don’t be let down if your boyfriend doesn’t get into the hype of Valentine’s Day. Enjoy each other’s company and remember that the point of Valentine’s Day is to celebrate the love!

(Photo by http://www.pnpvideo.com)

A lot of people think a good date consists of lavish dinners at fancy restaurants, romantic canoe rides, etc. But sometimes, the best dates are quiet nights in filled with movies, popcorn and an amazing dinner that you cooked. Here are some tips on how to make your evening in just as amazing as an evening out:

• Rent a good movie! Steer clear of chick flicks (although the good ones will let you sneak in a good chick flick every once in a while.) “Say Anything” is a good in-between. John Cusack is adorably affable, and even the manliest man will fall in love with “Say Anything.” Pop in the DVD (or video cassette if you’re old school…) curl up on the couch, and enjoy the movie!
• Bonfire? If your dad is anything like my dad, he can whip up a roaring fire in no time. Or, if your dad isn’t an eagle scout, an electric fire does the trick. Imagine any romantic film montages- the majority of them have at least one clip of a couple cuddling and roasting marshmallows. Just try it- you’ll understand the appeal after spending the night by the fire…kissing if you’re lucky!
• Make a bangin’ dinner. Hawaiian Luau chicken is really easy and delicious. My clueless roommates made it, and it was fantastic- a perfect meal for your stay-at-home date.

Hawaiian Luau Chicken:

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup barbecue sauce

1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place chicken breasts in a baking dish that has been greased or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. In a shallow bowl, stir together barbecue sauce, pineapple, ginger and cornstarch. Pour over chicken. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours.

This serves 4-6 people. Use chicken as your main dish, and rice is an excellent side dish.

• Lock your little sister in her bedroom! One of the biggest distractions during a stay-in date is little siblings. From personal experience, they enjoy candy or cash. Bribe them if you have to! Do whatever you can (obviously to a certain extent…) to get that alone time. Side Note: It’s one thing to be annoyed with younger sibs. But remember that somewhere deep, deep down, you love them. Don’t leave them out of your relationship! Your boyfriend should understand that and want to get to know your family.
• Sporcle.com is one of the best websites around! Switch off taking the quizzes and see who the master of pointless trivia is. Personal Favorites? Countries of the World and Name the Toy.

Next time your boyfriend wants to take you on an extravagant date, suggest staying in. Whip up some dinner and enjoy the night together!

I’ll never forget that moment when I found out the cutest boy in school had a crush on me. I maneuvered and schemed to try to date him. But I was crushed when my friends told me that while he liked me, he didn’t “date” anyone, even me. Why do boys do this? What is so wrong with having a girlfriend? That’s what we at Relate are determined to find out.

(Photo by erosmagnet.blogspot.com)

Why don’t guys like having relationships in middle school and high school?

Andrew Balch, 14, Charlotte, NC: “Having a girlfriend is a lot to handle. It’s all drama and commitment. Just talking to a girl is easier. You have to worry about so many other things such as grades, sports, etc. Plus, most kids in middle school just want to have fun and not worry about other stuff. Most importantly, from an eighth grader’s perspective, if you date a girl for a long time, she probably won’t want to date you in high school, when it actually matters.”

Michael, 16, Weddington, NC: “I’d rather not worry about a relationship right now. Girls my age are all about drama, and that’s annoying. I like talking to girls because it’s more relaxed, and there is no pressure. Not putting a label on it makes it easier to handle.”

What qualities in a girl would make you want to date her?

Michael:“She’d have to be really chill. Girls who aren’t worried about petty things are more fun to be with. I like nice girls, so when they wear short skirts and revealing tops, it’s a turn off.”

Although lots of boys aren’t into the commitment thing, don’t lose faith! The age-old saying still rings true today. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be! Instead of getting upset about the lack of available boys, just have fun and be yourself. If you’re confident, cool and collected, the boys will come to you!

For kids and young adults both, it’s a good way to in a sense “say” what you want without having to actually say it. This allows teens both male and female to avoid awkward situations with the other sex such as asking them out on a date(starting a relationship- scaredy cat) or breaking up with them(ending the relationship-a real jerk) along with all the other awkward moments found in between.

A question that I’m sure many teenage girls have while texting a guy is “How do I tell if he likes me or just isn’t interested?” A very obvious but often complicated solution to this very common problem would be to bluntly ask the guy if he is interested in you. This causes problems for many girls because they may not feel comfortable asking such an important question either because they are very shy or just afraid of what the answer may turn out to be. One thing that girls may not understand is that guys are in the exact same situation and are just as scared as you are when it comes to asking these types of questions even over texting! So is there any way that a teenage girl can determine whether a guy is interested just in the way that he texts?

I believe that, yes, there are a few ways through a guy’s texting that can help a girl to answer this very interesting question:

First Sign

If a guy puts any sort of smiley faces (especially the winky face ;) ) he usually wants to be either your boyfriend or is at least interested in you.

Second Sign

Asking questions about your family or other personal issues also indicates that a boy may be interested. 

Third Sign 

If a guy is the first to text you or texts you often, he may just want to date you.

Fourth Sign

Laughing at things that wouldn’t normally be funny is another great way to answer this question.

Fifth Sign

Responding to texts very quickly shows a guy is really interested in the conversation and wants to keep talking.

On the other hand, there are also a few ways to determine if a guy is just not interested in dating you:

First Bad Sign

One word answers (i.e ya, okay, haha) that are an attempt to end the conversation are usually a good indicator that a boy doesn’t want to date.

Second Bad Sign

Responding very slowly to text messages or not responding at all shows that a guy doesn’t really want to be talking to you (as bad as that sounds).

I really hope this helps you girls to understand more about texting the opposite sex and how it really isn’t as complicated as one might think. If you have questions you want to ask me or ideas for future articles shoot an email to thescene@relatemag.com and I’ll be able to address them in my upcoming blogs. Happy texting!!!

-Zack

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