“Sana All” No More: 3 Steps in Finding that Special Someone

“Okay, I’m ready, where is she?”

GIF from How I Met Your Mother, Pilot (1:1).

Within the context of relationships, you’ve probably asked this question at some point in your life. Comparable to the ever lovesick Ted Mosby in the pilot episode of ‘How I Met Your Mother’, you’ve wondered as to where the love of your life is—craving for that same simple yet natural encounter, one that you can witness not only in an old romantic sitcom but in actual real life.

Unfortunately though, maybe not in this one, at least not right now.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, people have still been stuck at home; with former mingling establishments being closed until further notice. This means that there will probably be no “Hi-Have-You-Met-Ted” moment—especially with consideration to the strict 6-feet distance rule that disallows any type of physical contact.

In any way, as much as people have tried to deny it, isolation can get pretty lonely. If the pre-pandemic-single-you had been satisfied with friends and the occasional fling, pandemic-you may seek something more—something deeper, a real connection that is admittedly harder to attain given the online setting.

Not to worry! Four success stories of ACTM couples—those that had fostered online romantic relationships, are here to highlight three simple and easy steps that assure you’ll find that very special someone.

So much so, that you may find yourself answering Ted’s exact question: “There she is.”

GIF from How I Met Your Mother, Pilot (1:1)

1. Put yourself out there!

Obviously, unlike on-site dating, the online environment presents the issue of the complete absence of physicality. As such, looking for a significant other may require a little bit more effort on your end, especially in terms of letting the world know who you are and your current status.

Here are some avenues you might want to try!

Dating Apps (such as Bumble, Tinder, or Grindr)

One of the couples (Pseudo name: Ms. and Mr. Shiftee-Junior) is an actual living proof of the swipe-right success story. After downloading the app Bumble, the two came into contact and eventually hit it off.

“I found her cute, and so I simply swiped right.” - Mr. Junior

“Honestly, I downloaded Bumble because I just wanted to try it out, not really expecting much from it!” - Ms. Shiftee

Synchronous Classes

Believe it or not, attending your synchronous classes may benefit you more than it should. The second couple (Pseudo name: Ms. and Mr. Freshie), as it happened, encountered each other in an English Class, sparking attraction after an engaging breakout room activity.

“We met because we shared an English class! And being the only two CTM majors in the breakout room, we naturally gravitated towards each other.” - Mr. Freshie

“He accommodated my concerns during the activity and tried to get me to speak up. I found him attractive since then.” - Ms. Freshie

Blocks

It’s time to show support for block-cest, because who knows, maybe the love of your life is already within your reach. If this sounds familiar, then you’re precisely reading into the story of the third couple (Ged and Leah), who met through mutual friends and fostered their relationship through various block engagements.

“Early in freshman year, both of us belonged in a small group of friends already, so we got to know each other better from there.” - Ged (Sophomore)

“Plus, we were also blockmates, so it was easier to start conversations about academics, that eventually led into other random stuff.” - Leah (Sophomore)

Org Events

Finally, if the other three avenues aren’t really up your alley, you might want to try attending org events! As proof, the last of the couples (Bianca and Austri), were linked through one of ACTM’s yearly initiatives: Prepcourse.

“We met through ACTM’s Prepcourse! We were groupmates and seemed to have found a lot in common - we watched the same shows and played the same games.” - Bianca (Sophomore)

2. Establish a Connection

After coming across a potential partner, it’s time for you to connect with them on a deeper level. And while this connection can be made through various means, the proven easiest way to do so is through finding a common level of interest.

You might be surprised, but these leisurely pursuits may literally be anything under the sun! Such as sharing the same love for RomComs (Junior-Shiftee couple), having the same priorities directed towards academics (Freshie couple), being both addicts in COD (Ged and Leah), and generally enjoying similar hobbies (Bianca and Austri).

All of these can become a catalyst for nights of endless conversations, going from one to the other in a very natural and comfortable flow, enough to build a solid foundation for a budding relationship.

3. Shoot your shot!

Eventually, there will come a moment when staying friends won’t be enough for both of you. In one way or another, a gnawing feeling will persist and by then you know you can’t stop yourself from stating those three special words.

Even with the online environment, the Shiftee-Junior couple was able to experience a very creative confession initiated by Mr. Junior. He cleverly expressed his feelings through a movie by sending a romantic memento stated in one of the dialogues to Ms. Shiftee and thus from there, openly admitted his romantic attraction.

If that’s not your style, you can also opt for a more straightforward approach, like the case of Bianca and Austri. Instead of beating around the bush, Austri courageously invited Bianca in a Discord call and straight-up revealed that he liked her.

On the other hand, if you’re lucky enough, then you might find yourself in a similar situation of the Freshie and Sophomore couples, wherein the confession had been made face to face!

“Maybe because there was already some sort of attraction to each other, that we both agreed we should meet before the year ended. So, I offered that one of us visit the other. Sparing the details, we somehow found ourselves in a situation where he leaned towards me and whispered, ‘Do you like me?’ For some reason, I couldn’t lie about it and confessed then and there.” - Ms. Freshie

“It just happened—an unexpected confession on one of our meet-ups, but things [positively] progressed from there.” - Leah (Sophomore)

Tips to make it last:

Congratulations! You now have a lover, but don’t celebrate too early as the next course of action is to further cultivate your relationship—enough to assure its longevity. Fortunately, the four couples have shared some of their wisdom—their own tips and tricks that promise just that.

Be your genuine self.

“You can’t control how people will perceive you, so the best thing you can do is to be yourself. Let your personality come through and everything else will naturally progress.”

- From Ms. Shiftee and Mr. Junior

Maintain boundaries

“Make the effort to maintain space and boundaries. Since it’s online, it’s especially easier to mesh your lives together. So, attempt to still keep that sense of self intact by not forcing things, understanding the other, and having patience (particularly when they seen-zone or reply late).”

- From Ms. and Mr. Freshie

Communicate clearly

“Communication is definitely the key. Since online lacks physicality, you have to be clearer when you want to get your point across. Basically, if you can, just don’t beat around the bush.”

- From Ged and Leah

Show your presence

“Making it last is all about showing your presence through the little things—such as doing the passive things together like studying or playing games—especially since you can’t see each other all the time.”

- From Bianca and Austri

Hopeless romantic or not, these steps aren’t all that hard, are they? So if you’re looking for a sign, this is it! Hit up your crush, be bibo in your classes, or attend your org events, because who knows? You might finally celebrate this year’s Valentine’s day with someone special.

Best of luck with your romantic endeavors, and have the “Sana-All” experience you’ve always wanted!

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Article contributors:

Bea Sanchez Content Creator

Ysa Lanza Creative Director