Paige DeSorbo "Would Rather Die" Than Be In A "Situationship"

Paige DeSorbo has become the internet’s unofficial big sister for modern dating advice. The 33-year-old reality star and Giggly Squad co-host has built a reputation for giving the kind of relationship guidance you actually need to hear — completely unfiltered, brutally honest, and always rooted in trusting your gut. So naturally, Elite Daily had to ask the opinionated queen her takes on the messiest dating topics, from situationships to friends’ exes. And she did not hold back.

While chatting about her new partnership with Maison Perrier French Kiss, which she’s promoting with an Amazon Live takeover to dish her best relationship counsel, DeSorbo opened up about the highs, lows, and all the uncertainty that comes with dating today. The collaboration, which celebrates the fun, flirty, and unpredictable moments that make romance exciting, felt like a natural fit for DeSorbo — especially because she says she’s always been hardcore Francophile.

“Even though I’m not French, in the depths of my soul, I feel French,” she says, adding that she loves Parisian style, and was already a fan of the sparkling water before the brand even reached out. “I already had the drink in my refrigerator, and I love their flavor pairings. Their Mango & Coconut is so good.”

DeSorbo is big on finding the right match, whether that’s a Maison Perrier flavor combination, or a soulmate who actually adds something to your life. Below, she shares her best dating advice, from why high standards aren’t the same as being “too picky,” to why she’s no longer entertaining situationships in her 30s.

Elite Daily: What do you think is the difference between being “too picky” versus having high standards?

Paige DeSorbo: People always say, “Don't settle.” And I feel like if I’ve waited this long, why settle now? That just seems ridiculous. My mom always said, “If you have high expectations, that's what you'll get. And if you have low expectations, that's what you'll get.” So whenever I'm in a situation where I feel like I’m being high maintenance, I tell myself, “No, I just have really high expectations. And that's a good thing.”

ED: What’s a belief about love you had in your early 20s that you’ve changed your mind on?

PD: I thought I would be married by 25, and that I’d have four kids by my age. And now I think that's insane.

ED: When did your mindset on marriage and kids change?

PD: Probably when I was turning 30. There’s a societal pressure right when a woman turns 30, where it's like, “What have you done with your life if you haven't had children and gotten married?” But it’s not like we shrivel up after 30. That’s something Hannah [Berner] and I really try and be vocal about on Giggly Squad. Even though she's married, I feel like we've brought her husband on a total of five times, because [a marriage] is not everything. Everyone is on their own timeline, and it doesn't matter what anyone else around you is doing. It has to feel good for you.

ED: Can you tell right away when someone would be a good partner for you, or a terrible one?

PD: I feel like I've had a pretty good intuition my entire life. Now mind you, have I followed it all the time? No. And I can pinpoint certain times where I knew deep down I shouldn't be doing that, but I did it anyway. My biggest thing is trusting your gut. She's just never steered me wrong. Sometimes she's a bit anxious, but most of the time she's right.

ED: There’s a lot of talk about girl code right now, especially concerning some of your former Summer House castmates. What is your take on dating a friend's ex? Is there a certain amount of time that has to pass? Is it never allowed?

PD: I think it's all situational. Right now, if my friend called me and said, “Can I date your boyfriend from high school?” I'd be like, “Have at it. I hope you guys are the best couple ever.” But there are also situationships where we went out on two dates, and if anyone I knew dated him, I would simply die. There are also guys I've dated for years that I would love to set up with someone so they’d stop calling me.

ED: Give me your biggest green flags in a partner.

PD: Someone who loves their life, like their individual life. Someone who likes what they're doing, and are on their own path. I think that's really important. Because if you’re with someone who doesn’t really love their life, it can kind of seep into you and make everything little bit negative. Another green flag is them being supportive of you and what you want to do.

ED: What about the biggest red flag?

PD: Lack of discipline. If you say you're going to do something, you should do it. Anyone that says one thing and does another is not for me.

People are really hard on girls and guys in their 20s, and I think that time is like a learning curve.

ED: One label that gets thrown around a lot right now is “situationship.” How do you feel about that more noncommittal level of a relationship?

PD: At 33, am I calling anything a situationship? No, I would rather die. But at 25, yeah, there are times where you want to justify things. People are really hard on girls and guys in their 20s, and I think that time is like a learning curve. It’s important to go through those situations, because it ultimately teaches you a lesson.

So I think in your 20s, it's very OK to make a mistake, have a situationship for a couple months, and realize it's not for you. In your 30s, I think things are different. You're more focused. You need someone who's also focused. So at this point, I don't want a situationship — if someone asked me to be exclusive, I'd be like, “I’ve got to go.”

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.