Ask Andre: the romantic advice column

Q: I read your opinion piece in the last Collegian, and I have seen you around campus. I have come to realize that not only are you incredibly attractive and tall, but you are also incredibly smart and clever. Because of these recent discoveries, I have started to form a crush on you.

My question for you is this: What are some good ways for a female on this campus to get your attention? And to hold it?

A: Do something crazy, wild -- something that breaks social norms and may label you as a deviant on Richmond's campus.

Also -- make a move! Girls seem to think that a relationship can only be initiated by the romantic gestures of a man. With this mindset, they suppress their own creative means of pursuit, which makes them predictable.

With me, girls who are willing to take a risk and put themselves out there will succeed in the end, no matter what game is being played. Confidence and emotional fortitude are two important characteristics that I value in women.

One of the easiest ways to attract a lot of attention is a proclamation of love and affection in D-Hall. In this situation, everything is on the line, with no chance for mistaken emotions. If you feel it and believe in it, then what is there to lose?

The only thing I can tell you definitively is that the easiest way to stay off any guy's radar is to hide your feelings.

If you are confident in your emotion, why not apply a little extra flirting here and there, tap into the "love guru" side of your life? In any case, the little things go a long way when pertaining to getting into guys' hearts.

Now guys, just because I went on a mini rant about girls needing to be proactive about how they handle their situations does not mean that you are off the hook.

As guys, we need to learn how to observe situations and excavate true feelings in a room full of misdirection and other devious motives.

We need to decipher body language and how girls respond to certain questions -- not because we need to help them figure out what they want, but because we have no other choice. Societal norms have forced us to become the pursuers, and the girls to be the pursued.

Now, seeing as my name is Andre, and I believe that celebrating one's heritage is essential to the development of a man, I leave you with these words in one of the most romantic languages in the world: Wenn du etwas willst, los!

Or, for those of you thinking I was talking about French, I leave you this: Si vous voudriez quelque chose, allez le prendre!

Finally, for those of you who may not speak a romantic language such as French or German, here is my advice: If you want something, go get it. Period.