Dating at Glasgow uni: Red flags, green flags, and the dreaded seminar crush

Not to alarm anyone, but if you take a look at those calendars, you’ll find it says October. Yes, the infamous “cuffing season” is already well and truly upon us. With hot girl summer officially over, the grey skies and dark nights are rolling in, and this is the all-important time to find a partner.

Logistically speaking, it does make sense. The back-to-back run of Halloween, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and Valentine’s Day puts a fair bit of pressure on those of us who are single. It’s that time of year for couples activities – matching costumes, Christmas markets, New Year’s kisses, and someone to force into watching Gilmore Girls.

But unfortunately, we live in a uni campus bubble, and it is a bubble full of icks and glaring red flags. So, in the spirit of this, I have compiled a list of some red and green flags you are bound to find at Glasgow Uni this year. Please, please consider these before making that commitment to dressing as Anakin and Padme for Halloween.

Let’s start with red flags:

1. Meeting in Hive

Hear me out. Yes, ok, it’s fun, and 19-year-old me was absolutely committed to the sports Wednesday bit. But now that I’ve officially reached fourth year status, I can confidently say it is not worth it. I just cannot imagine telling the grandkids: “Oh yes, I met your grandad one fine Wednesday, dressed in a bin bag, four pints of fun deep, on the pole in Well!”

2.  Talking over you – or anyone else, for that matter – in class

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By this, I mean that one person who genuinely is so up themselves they think it’s necessary to interrupt the point you’re in the middle of making to tell you that they disagree to the utmost extent and simply must play devil’s advocate. You know the ones.

3. Mummy’s angel

Starting uni comes right alongside moving out for the first time, and those guys who have the same bed sheets on all semester because they don’t know how to use a washing machine, or the girls who leave hair in the shower, or the people who don’t put dishes away, are a massive red flag and so icky. Stay away. If you can’t respect your own living space, how are you gonna be respectful to me, babe?

4. Rugby boys

Admit it, it’s obvious, and you thought of it before you even read this article. Just the general culture and the “locker room” of it all. Ugh. Would love to know what the equivalent of this is for women, though? Like, is there a sport that men avoid players of?

On a more upbeat and positive note, here are the green flags!

1. Someone who actually goes to class.

Because nothing is hotter than a person with ambition. And seriously, what are you paying for otherwise?

2. A person who takes the stairs (note that this does not apply to those who cannot or are unable to, for various reasons)

Okay, this is niche, so let me explain. My friend’s biggest pet peeve is people who take the lift when they are perfectly capable of taking stairs. So, a person who chooses to take the stairs goes on her green flag list. Also, get your steps in!

3. A library crush.

Extremely different from a seminar crush if you ask me. A library crush is a massive green flag alert.

Firstly, they’re actually working in the library. Second, they are most likely on a different course than you. And third, sorry, there’s nothing better than going to the library and seeing the same person every time and slowly but surely you start to recognise each other.

So, that concludes my personal red and green flags for dating here. But I did miss one huge university dating trope – the seminar crush! I simply cannot decide whether it’s red or green. On the one hand, you have things in common and an easy ice breaker, which could be the perfect start to a relationship. On the other hand, if you decide to end the relationship, they will end up everywhere.

Let me know what you think – red or green – on Instagram!