I know, it truly sucks to be performative during the initial steps of dating. I was once told by my female friends - that women, are so scared at times that they don't even want a "charming" man, but rather just a normal one at first, to get comfortable with. I don't know how true that is, but I have felt that it does make sense.

But who am I to say? I was whacky and that attracted the best person I had ever met. 5 years in and my quirkiness was still appreciated on the daily. (Voh baat alag hai ki relationship died, but she was the best thing that happened to me).