The BRO Code for Singles

Build a life someone would want to join.

Friends, a job you show up to, and at least one clean towel.

Be honest about what you want.

"Looking for marriage" scares off exactly the people you wanted scared off.

Meet people in real life.

Clubs, classes, volunteer nights, weddings. Offline is where the good ones hide.

Let your friends set you up.

They know you better than an algorithm does. Probably.

Plan the date.

"What do you want to do?" is a question. "Coffee Saturday at ten?" is a plan.

Be on time, in clean clothes, with your phone away.

That alone puts you in the top ten percent.

Keep first dates simple.

Coffee, a walk, a round of mini golf. You are meeting a person, not auditioning for a movie.

Watch how they treat the waiter.

It is a preview of how they will treat you in year five.

Meet their family and friends early.

People are who their people are.

Keep your standards and your manners.

You can say no politely and yes with class.

Enjoy being single while you are.

Learn to cook, travel, save. You are building the person someone gets to marry.

Be kind when it's not a match.

A clear "not for me, but thank you" beats disappearing.

Take it slow.

Slow is how you find out if it is real. Fast is how you find out it was not.

Don't swipe your evenings away.

The app makes money while you stay single. Think about that.

Don't talk about your ex on the first date.

Or the second. Or, ideally, ever.

Don't pretend to be someone else to get a yes.

Eventually the real you shows up, and they will want to know who the other guy was.

Don't date someone to fix them.

A partner is not a project car.

Don't ignore red flags because the smile is nice.

A red flag at a carnival is still a red flag.

Don't text paragraphs to someone you've met once.

Save the novel for date five.

Don't stay with the wrong person because you're afraid of being alone.

Don't bring your phone to dinner as a third wheel.

The person across the table is more interesting than a notification.

Don't fib on your profile.

If you are five foot nine, you are five foot nine. Everybody finds out at the door.

Don't take rejection as a verdict.

It is just "not this one." Chin up, heart kind.

Don't let loneliness do your shopping.

Lonely grabs the first thing on the shelf. Patience picks the right one.

Don't drink to calm your nerves.

A clear head makes better choices, and remembers the good parts.

Don't rush a commitment you are not ready to keep.