Say anything

I've had success with terrible openers recently. It doesn't matter what you say. Here are some lines that have worked during the day:

• 'That's a strange noise your phone made. Is it an iPhone?'
• 'Do you know where the social science building is?' (twice)
• 'Could you hold my place in line while I get some water. --> (upon return), what is that phone? It looks like an iPhone, but really, really old'

In each case, the goal was just to start a conversation. From that point, I gauged whether they were interested in the fact that I was talking to them, and continued when I saw interest.

(That last point may be controversial. I wasn't looking so much for IOIs as much as absence of indicators of disinterest in talking to me, such as immediately turning away once the information was given.)

Two of those resulted in dates, the other responded, and the first line was today, so it's too soon to say.

I've tried direct approaches too. They can work, but they're high pressure. These lines are something even the greenest beginner can say.

If you're on here, reading theory, making excuses, not approaching....STOP. Just say hi to her. Say the first thing that comes to mind. Ask for fake directions, the time, whatever. Just say something, and you'll improve.

Pro Tip: Ditch the headphones. They distract you from your surroundings, and introduce a barrier to saying hi. I almost never approach if I'm listening to music, kills spontaneity.

Don't worry about her headphones. If you grab a girl's attention, she'll remove them. Wait till she does, then start speaking. Just stop her the way you would if you were asking someone directions. (I actually practiced this by asking for fake directions)

Second Tip: If you're in a prolonged situation (sitting by her in a cafe, waiting in line, etc.) ask her to do something for you. With the first girl in the cafe, I had previously asked her to watch my stuff while I went to the bathroom. It's a small request, but it can have pretty big effects:

1. She's now aware of you. When you later start a conversation, you're not just some stranger she has to assess.
2. She's already committed to doing something for you. This will subconsciously raise your value in her mind.

Edit: The point of this is to say the first thing you notice about her, or think of saying. You might be able to come up with something better later....when the moment passes. Not useful.

Girls don't really care how you start conversations. And the more conversations you have, the more women you'll find that are attracted to you.

There was a time when I would have failed with any of those lines. But as a result of trying stuff, I got better, and now I can have a good conversation with a random opener about her phone. Practice is essential.