COVID cases are rising, and unfortunately, a second wave is surging all across Canada, as local officials are talking about the need to increase restrictions and head back into lockdown. Which, for any singles out there, means that attempting to pick up during *gestures* all this, is about to get even trickier than it already was.
That’s why for the latest episode of the Complex Canada Report, your host The6atSix is back to share a few helpful COVID dating tips and tricks. Call it the dos and don’ts of picking up during the pandemic.
We got the highlights for you below; watch the video above for the full list. Then, once you’ve successfully implemented these tips, be sure to check out 6’s top pandemic dating spots across Canada. You know, assuming we’re still allowed to leave our houses by then. No pressure.
Don’t: Offer a handshake
Technically, this applies to any new person you meet, both now and for the foreseeable future. (Earlier this year, Dr. Fauci, aka America’s leading COVID expert, straight up said he doesn’t think we’ll ever shake hands again.) Hell, even the Howie Mandel fist bump is out for being too risky.
Luckily, the nation’s leading minds have been working nonstop on potential alternative greetings. There’s the head nod. A simple wave. Some kind of weird salute, I guess? If you’re feeling extra frisky, you can always try the footshake. Or, for a slightly safer alternative (both for their shins and your pride), just opt for a simple elbow bump instead.
Do: Stay six feet apart
Eight months into this whole pandemic thing, you should hopefully have mastered this one by now, but judging from my most recent trip to Costco, some folks are still having trouble here. So, one last time for those in the back: this isn’t your Tinder profile. Six feet actually means six feet. Not 5’10”. If you’re going to shoot your shot, make like Steph Curry and throw it up from well beyond the arc.
Do: Smile with your eyes
Now that we’re all wearing masks (or most of us, anyway), it’s gotten harder to pick up on social cues out there. But turns out, Tyra Banks was just ahead of her time when it came to preaching the virtues of the smize. (No, really, there’s been actual psychological studies about this.)
Just please be aware that there’s a fine line between smiling with your eyes and staring at someone like a total creep. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to know when you’ve crossed it: the person you’re looking at will be doing their best to keep way more than six feet between you.
Don’t: Mumble
Anyone who’s had their Starbucks name come out even more jacked up than usual has likely already experienced the necessity of speaking up (and speaking clearly) while wearing a mask. But it goes double if you’re attempting to get out an intelligible pickup line, instead of just a coffee order.
And if you’re naturally soft spoken, that means it’s going to take even more effort to not end up sounding like Shy Ronnie. Just know that there’s a difference between making yourself heard and shouting so loudly the entire block can grade your game, so adjust your levels accordingly. Pro tip: aim for more DMX than 645AR.
