Alex, 20

What do you do for a living?
I'm a student and I work full-time as a sales associate at Bloomingdale's.

Have you met anyone through your job?
No, not at all. It's all women and I'm gay.

Do you use any of your skills as a sales associate to land dates?
No. My job is to talk someone into buying something, and on a date, I'm not trying to talk someone into liking me. The attraction should be natural.

That makes sense. Where do you meet guys, then?
The past few dates I've been on have been with men I've met online on Grindr.

What's your best hookup story?
I've had Grindr since high school, so last year, I was on spring break at Panama City Beach. There aren't a lot of gay men at Panama City Beach, so I got my Grindr on and met the closest guy who was around. We totally hooked up on the beach, and it was fun. I usually don't have sex with people I don't know, so that was crazy.

What's the worst date you've had from someone you met online?
I met this guy at Union Square after I got off work and he walked me home. We went on a few dates after that and it wasn't awful, but we didn't mesh and things got really awkward.

Did you disagree on something big?
I go to the Academy of Art and he goes to San Francisco Art Institute, and he was making fun of the stereotypes about the Academy's students. It got awkward because he knew that I went there. That was kind of weird.

So is being an art snob a dealbreaker?
Making fun of someone in a non-playful way is definitely a dealbreaker. You don't want to make someone feel like shit.

That seems like a no-brainer. So you're studying fashion design. Is there a particular trend that's a huge turnoff?
I see a lot of European men wearing drop-crotch pants where it's tight from the knee down but around the thighs, it's really baggy. Kind of like Hammer pants or a diaper? Those came back for a second.

What are the advantages of wearing drop-crotch pants? More room to breathe?
I think people who wear them want to be mistaken for a baby. Kind of embarrassing: I used to have a pair two years ago.

Yikes. What's a dealmaker?
Style. Physically, I like stocky, tall men. Facial hair's great. A full-on beard is great, as long as it's not dirty. As far as non-physical characteristics, humor and empathy. Those are things I look for in everybody, not just in relationships.

Are you seeing anyone now?
No, I haven't been in a relationship since, oh God, last November. My ex and I aren't on speaking terms. And I haven't been on a date in two or three months.

Is there a reason why you and your ex don't talk?
We had no closure. I think that it was because I was more into him than he was into me. And I think he knew that.

Have you ever hooked up in a cab?
No, I haven't. And I think I would!

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