Hook-ups: Economestrics is not a turn on for everybody

Many of us were admitted to Princeton largely based on exceptional analytical skills. Unable to confine these skills to graphs and sonnets, we constantly scrutinize the behavior of our friends and potential love interests. One would think this attention to nuance would lead to improved social interaction, but in fact the exact opposite is true.

Overreaction prevails, whether it be to supposed reciprocation of interest or to imaginary slights. Maybe she can't meet you that night because she DOES "have a lot of work." Perhaps the reason you spot her at Ivy later is because she finished it or got an extension. Or perhaps it WAS just an excuse. But many a budding relationship has been spoiled by one of the parties shooting accusatory glares at the other for no apparent reason and scaring the other person.

Turnoffs can also range from tipsy electronic communication to sexual missteps. Drinking too much, and especially frequent blacking out, leads to silly behavior that irritates or bores the other person if he or she is not at the same level of inebriation. Drunken calls, emails, and IMs should be channeled exclusively to close friends who thrive on verbose declarations of love and painstaking play-byplays of the night's events.

Senior Archie comments that what makes him flee is "Biting. Biting is really bad; it happened to me twice. The girls were normal people, not weird or anything, so I didn't see it coming at all." Hooking up with someone else was less grave in the eyes of Archie. "It depends how early on" in the nascent relationship someone was distracted, he says. Not all agree, however, with Archie's stance. "I would be really, really, annoyed if the girl I had recently been hooking up with started hooking up with someone else without at least telling me," says senior "Hans."

Senior "Kate" warns against "hooking up then leaving too late" in the day. There is a fine line between bolting the moment the cock crows and overstaying your welcome. You should leave when or if the host or hostess of the pajama party mentions going to brunch ("Well, I told Jessie I'd meet her at Colonial . . ."), unless he or she invites you along. Definitely leave when he or she starts getting dressed.

Dashing away immediately, though, suggests that you're desperate to avoid spending nonsexual time with the other party, or worse, that you regret the encounter. A few pleasantries are generally in order. Of course, there are some topics you can discuss which will ensure that your hookup is indeed desperate to escape. Hans recalls a particularly dull morning-after when "a girl waxed eloquent about econometrics to the point that I considered faking an illness to get rid of her." He contrasts this with another girl who stayed until 4:30 the next day "and it was awesome."

Another pearl of wisdom, tried and true, from Kate: "Sober hookups in the morning do not mean you're in love." Given the circumstances of waking up together, a morning hookup is scarcely farfetched. Hard to believe, but even a "great talk" does not mean you are in love.

Dates should come after preliminary flirting. If you've never talked to someone, it is a really bad idea to ask for a date, even a date disguised as a study session. You'll seem like a weirdo. Moreover, according to Archie, "Emailing is kind of lame; it shows a certain amount of nervousness. I'd be more impressed if someone called." But Kate warns against "overcalling," a common mistake committed by, and annoying to, both girls and guys.