A guy gets some major points for making things. Really – even if your artistic skills are sub-par, a girl is going to love your lop-sided birthday card or a slightly-burnt stir-fry way more then a generic Hallmark message or a dinner out.

My high school boyfriend really won my heart by taking the time to go homemade. For Valentine’s Day he made an awesome watercolor card. The handwriting was only semi-illegible, but the message was obvious, and I loved it!

We also spent a lot of time making things together, especially cooking huge brunches – breakfast sandwiches and pancakes galore. Showing that you’re the type of guy who’s not afraid to put the time in and get creative goes a long way with the ladies… and it’s also way more fun then dishing out dough.

Chelsea, Cambridge MA

Do Like This Dude: Real stories from girls that survived high school to tell the tales of guys that made them smile along the way.