Depending on what your genre is, the title might arouse different reactions across the readers of my blog (if any :P). Do this and see where you land :
// Either the user is a grad or not a grad.
bool is_grad_student = get_user_input(is_grad_student);
// if is_grad_student, rest of the inputs are redundant, avoid sucking the user for more, assign default
bool have_known_any_grad = FALSE;
// assigning default values, may not hold true when is_grad_student is TRUE
bool did_like_him = FALSE ;
if (!is_grad_student) {
// user is not a grad student, get a feel of his tastes
have_known_any_grad = get_user_input(have_known_any_grad);
if (have_known_any_grad) {
// remember default = FALSE
did_like_him = get_user_input(did_like_him);
// TODO - put more cases here, this part is crucial
}
} // end of non-grad user inputs
switch (is_grad_student) {
case yes : Cool! Hey..what you say? we meet for a coffee or something to discuss issues more important than this just silly dating thing?
break;
case No : if (have_known_any_grad && did_like_him)
Fine! Go ahead..following post "might" interest you;
if (have_known_any_grad && !did_like_him)
Sucker! Yes thats what you are...Get lost!;
break;
}
Reached here? Nice to see you passed a crucial preliminary test. So what state of mind you are in right now?
1. ApPaLlEd (Oh damn this test! its so difficult to do it, who knows how easy will be to understand the post).
2. Wearing a tickling smile (hey I like the way you screen users)
3. I am Ok. (I dont understand why people tend to ramble so much before getting to the point!)
4. Ok!! (Holy Son of God! no more of your stupid ramifications of dumb cases, get down to the point or rather I will just exit now)
So, there you go, that's how difficult dating a grad is. Even a grad himself fears to date another of the same breed (i.e. grad). They will be all critical, contemplative, alert and methodical when you least want them to be. Some pretty day (like today here in barcelona), they will feel like -writing- about the Art Of Dating rather than -practising- it. Some gloomy day (like Mondays), they will be busy making plans for the week and promising not to repeat the same mistakes as last week, rather than sleeping till late morning to call it a long relaxing weekend...
And then when you are all rejoiced and wanting to party, they will be philosophical, acutely sagacious about their motive in life and blue about their past. Yes, my friend, dating a sane graduate student is not a piece of cake :-) For starters, I will give you some Don'ts, which are more crucial because even a single mistake can be a pure disaster.
1. Never ask for going out on a weekday. Though no day is perfect, but never ask him/ her out on the day of his/her weekly meeting with the advisor. That's the most jeopardous day. Fridays sound okay.
2. Never be impromptu when it comes to fixing a day for date. Do it well in advance, so the grad can plan his time accordingly.
3. Don't go to a awfully expensive place for a date. The less you make him pay, the happier he will be. A walk by the beach followed by a drink or two will be perfect!
4. There are two donts which should be a part of your "Bible for Dating Grads" (stolen from phd comics) PHD Comics: Grad student etiquette ...they indeed are the most important.
5. Don't screw your date by sounding unnecessarily geeky. A grad has an eye for a true geek.
6. Don't try too hard to give an impression that you are the perfect one! You shall be the sheer envy of the grad! Grads hate perfection. They will never dirty their hands with something that's already perfect. It is more important for a grad to see a clearcut scope / potential of making you the perfect one.
7. If your date (the grad) is down because of something (something = could be simply anything!), never get judgemental and extra-preachy. Grad hates it, its simply disgusting for him. It will rather be great if you could also make yourself feel bad about something really bad that happened to you in near or remote past, and dive into the sea of gloom and misery togehter with the grad.
8. If it doesn't work out, never forget to mention the possibility of a next date in future. No one other than a grad accords more to the gravity and meaning of "Future Work"!
The list of Don'ts is endless truly. I will add more as and when I have somthing urgently important for you to know. The problem of coming up with a formal complete solution to this problem of dating a grad student belongs to the class of NP Hard problems. Though do's aren't that important, but expect a list soon.
Happy Dating! Be Cautious...your date is a grad!
Disclaimer : Dont's are largely grad student specific. Never rely on anything published and/or certified anywhere in this world in this regard.period.
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