Hi reader,
Julia, also known as
@smarterinasec,
is a brand strategist, social media consultant, and content creator.
She considers herself a varsity reader, writer, and eater.
A
tri-athlete if you will. Everything she posts, whether it’s an interesting article of the day, a career tip, or a product review, is in service of making you smarter (hence the username).
If you don’t already follow her, I highly recommend it. She brings a level of thought and intellect to social media that’s often lacking in today’s world. I was super excited to invite her to the
Ask a Matchmaker podcast to get her hot dating takes!
Julia brings a unique perspective to the table because she didn’t go on a first date until she was 24. After focusing on her career for most of her life, she had to navigate dating as a late bloomer. Here’s her advice to other singles who got a late start:
Before you get in your head about whether the date went well or if the other person wants to see you again, make sure you actually
like them. Tracking your takeaways from the date into a spreadsheet can help with this.
Don’t confuse liking someone with finding them interesting. Julia admits that she sometimes found herself more interested in her date’s backstory than in them. If you’re a naturally curious person, this can be tough. But there
is a difference.
If you’re on a date and find yourself daydreaming about how you’d rather be curled up in bed watching Netflix, reading a book, or hanging out with friends, they’re probably not the right person for you!
Want to meet new people but aren’t sure where to start? Julia has two unique ways she recommends expanding your network:
Get involved in your college alumni association. This helped Julia open her network and meet more interesting people. Alternatively, you can ask a friend or family member, “When is your next college alumni network? Can I tag along?”
Join your city’s “Vouched Dating” Facebook group. This is basically the opposite of the “Are we dating the same guy” group. People pitch their brothers, parents, colleagues, friends, etc., and explain why they’re a catch.
Post of the WeekNew dating strategy just dropped:
Man of the Month. 
Ask 12 friends (or colleagues, or family members, etc.) to set you up on a date every month of the year.
Let’s work together! 
