Relationships

'He's Nice': 14 Things Girls Say About Guys We Don't Actually Like

by Candice Jalili

I went through a phase where I would try to convince myself and my friends that I liked guys I actually had no real interest in.

And one day, my best friend Annie finally called me out for it.

I had just started hooking up with a new guy, and she asked me to tell her about him.

I said, "He's really nice and fun." But she immediately started laughing and said, "You don't like this guy at all."

I was absolutely offended. "What are you talking about? Yes, I do!"

And this is where she rocked my world with one simple piece of wisdom: "No, you don't. 'Nice and fun' are what you call boys you don't like because you literally can't think of anything more specific to call them."

I thought about it a bit, and she was totally right. "Nice and fun" are the two most basic, generic adjectives I could think of, and I would use them to describe the most generic men.

But before you go hating on me for doing it, I BET YOU'VE DONE IT AT SOME POINT, TOO. We don't like someone, but we want to like them, so we try to convince ourselves and our friends that we do like them by using these lame adjectives as our evidence.

We don't like someone, but we want to like them, so we try to convince ourselves that we do.

But let's all stop, right here, right now.

I've created a handy-dandy list of 14 things girls say about boys we don't actually like, along with what we actually mean, so you can stop yourself next time you feel this happening. If you can only describe a guy you think you like with one or two of these adjectives, chances are, you don't like him.

All right, HERE WE GO:

"He's nice."

Translation: He is so boring, I fantasize about jumping out the window while he talks.

"He's fun."

Translation: He may or may not have a drinking problem.

"He's really successful at his job."

Translation: All he talks about is work.

"He comes from a good family."

Translation: I like his mom more than I like him.

"His friends are awesome."

Translation: He's the one dud in the friend group, and I'm trying to ride this out to figure out why they keep him around.

"He's hot."

Translation: He is so dumb, it's painful.

"He's cool."

Translation: He's a fuckboy.

"He seems really into me."

Translation: I'm not really into him.

"He's normal."

Translation: There's pretty much nothing exciting about him. He is the most average person alive.

"He treats me well."

Translation: I'm settling.

"He has a lot of money."

Translation: I'm in it for the nice dinners and cool gifts.

"He's smart."

Translation: I don't know what he's saying half the time, and he's super condescending.

"He treats me way better than my ex did."

Translation: He's my rebound.

"He's dependable."

Translation: He's my bitch.

As a rule of thumb, after my friend told me what I was doing, I would only go on a second date with a boy if I could come up with a specific reason as to why I liked him.

AND YOU SHOULD, TOO.

(Disclaimer: If the guy you're dating is nice AND cool AND fun AND comes from a good family AND seems really into you, chill out! He rocks!)