Sorry, I got the ick
When the rose-colored glasses
shatter into a million pieces.
by Shin-Yi Wang
Design by Eshaal Kizilbash
In today’s dating culture, relationships can feel like a mirage — alluring from afar, but easily shattered upon closer inspection. The phenomenon known as “the ick” describes those oddly specific, often trivial moments that instantly flip the switch from infatuation to repulsion. I asked Northwestern students about the moment they lost the spark and compiled their strangest, pettiest, most shrivel-up-your-insides icks.
Consider this your survival manual. Or your warning label.
“I was taking a SAT and she got mad at me for not texting her back.”
Felix Yang, McCormick first-year
The SAT is almost two and a half hours — if you need your partner to constantly be texting you back, the College Board unfortunately doesn’t build phone time into the exam. A healthy relationship should survive at least one standardized test without spiraling.
“My biggest ick was probably that she couldn’t read a train chart. It was the Boston one and I think it was pretty clear; she was an hour and a half late.”
Elliott Yoon, Weinberg fourth-year
Patience is important, but if you have to wait 90 minutes because your partner can’t read a train chart, it’s time to reevaluate. If they can’t decode a color-coded map, maybe they’re not ready for the complexities of a relationship.
“A guy took a video of him dancing in his room. And then sent it to me with no music and made me tell him that it was good. And his fit was ugly. We broke up two weeks after.”
Katia Ohmacht, McCormick first-year
Confidence is attractive. Demanding compliments for silent dance videos in bad outfits? Less so. If you’re being held hostage by someone’s bad choreography and even worse fashion choices, it might be time to two-step out of that relationship.
“I would say flakiness and last-minute canceling or taking too long to respond. I’m pretty flexible and you don’t need to respond right away, but if you’re going days without saying anything, that’s kind of weird.”
Therese Mañego, Weinberg third-year
Getting ghosted is no fun. We all get busy, but if someone disappears and then resurfaces three days later, it might be a sign they’re just not that into you. It’s better to be honest than constantly flaky.