Dating & Hooking Up: The Aquarius Approach

As the high-minded idealists of the zodiac, no

sign believes in the transcendent power of true love quite like Aquarius. These quick-witted souls are not so easily won over, but when they do get involved in a romance , Aquarians in love are one of the surest and most committed signs of the zodiac. As for how to seduce an Aquarius, it will take persistence and creativity to catch their eye.

Ferociously independent and rebellious anti-conformists, those born under the sign of the waterbearer are notoriously slow to make hard-and-fast commitments, especially when it comes to giving away their heart. So don’t try to rush an Aquarius into love — it’ll make them feel awkward at best and sprint in the opposite direction at worst.

These gregarious and socially agile signs collect friends like nobody’s business. “Aquarians do tend to start with friendships and value friendships more than romantic relationships,” astrologer Tess Lee tells NYLON. When looking for a partner, they want someone who is also their best friend, who will respect their freedom and stimulate their bright, curious intellect.

If you can prove to be an Aquarian’s best friend above all, the waterbearer might tiptoe out of a platonic connection and into an adventurous, often unpredictably wacky relationship. Get ready for plenty of spice in this partnership — as long as you can keep up, you’re sure to remain entertained, enthralled, constantly learning, and exploring with your Aquarius love. Read on for a thorough guide to understanding, loving, and living with Aquarius, the optimistic, elusive revolutionary of the zodiac.

1. Confidence Comes From Inside

Crushing on Aquarius is easy, thanks to their magnetic lack of self-consciousness, worldly intelligence, and popularity. They’re that kid in high school who is friends with everyone and frankly doesn’t care what you think of them. What’s not to love?

The 11th sign of the zodiac is unconcerned and unbothered by others’ opinions — everyone’s just got to find out who they are and what they’re all about. It’s only natural that their proverbial front door is all but knocked down with potential suitors.

There’s rarely any ego or bombast to these gentle personalities; Aquarius doesn’t care much for being worshipped or placed on a pedestal. They simply want their independent spirit to be respected and be allowed to do as they please. Since they’re a fixed sign air sign, their ideas and opinions about certain things are extremely important to them “and [it’s] oftentimes really hard to compromise around other people,” Lee says.

2. Friendships Above All Else

Not only is Aquarius an air sign, it’s also ruled by the 11th House of Friendships, which means the sign’s priorities lie outside of dating and romance. Most Aquarians place a higher value on friendship than they do on love and passion. “They look for anyone who understands them,” Lee tells NYLON. “[Aquarians] tend to not value or put too much weight on romantic love, as they can also consider other ways of love bonds between people … best friends, communities, things like that.”

Aquarius is ruled by Saturn, meaning these personalities can go long periods of time without dating, intimacy, or even sex — but they simply cannot survive without a healthy social outlet and plenty of friends. “When you think about things like sex, romance, affection, and intimacy, in the realm of Saturn it can be very awkward,” Lee says. “Saturn is a very non-sexual planet to begin with.” It’s worlds easier for Aquarians to feel comfortable making friends.

Letting people in is not easy for this sign, so getting comfortable in a platonic bond before adding in the pressures of romance will allow an Aquarius to feel safe enough to take that next step..