The other day my friend called me to ask my advice about a date she’d been on with an old workmate. She said he was a really lovely guy, sweet, funny and all the rest. He messaged her a couple of days after saying he thought she was awesome and he wanted to see her again. The problem was, she hadn’t realised they were even on a date until he sent her that text, as she thought they were just having a ‘friendly catch-up’. Safe to say, the poor bloke was friend-zoned before he even had a chance.

If that sounds familiar, I have good news for you. New research from the University of Texas has shown that being in the ‘friend zone’ may actually increase your chances of success. Essentially, if you fancy someone who is hotter than you and so far hasn’t given you a second glance, all is not lost. This from the Huffington Post:

If you happen to be shooting for someone ‘out of your league’ (in terms of attractiveness, at least), you may be more likely to succeed if you get to know the person for a while rather than going for it immediately,” said lead author Lucy L.

She does caveat this by saying:

However, it’s still a gamble: Getting to know someone over time can either improve that person’s impression of you or worsen it.”

So basically, if you’re a 2 going for a 10 on Tinder, nothing’s changed and you’re (probably) going to struggle. If you know someone, are not as hot as them but also a bit of a dullard, best to give up now. If, however you have a sparkling personality and feel being friends with someone you secretly yearn for is a waste of time, IT’S NOT! HANG IN THERE!

The researchers have said it’s only a small study, which I think is science talk for ‘This is not 100% conclusive foolproof fact.’ But don’t let that stop you. Go forth and conquer!

[source: The Huffington Post]