First Date Do’s and Don’ts

Here is a short list of first date do’s and don’ts that every guy should follow at the bare minimum. It is by no means a complete list, but is a good starting point for any first date.

The Do’s:

Do pay attention to your date – Remember, you are there to get to know each other. Pay attention to what she has to say. Listen closely to what she has to say and ask intelligent questions. Every woman likes a good listener and a man that can hold a conversation.

Do maintain good eye contact – Look your date in the eyes, this lets her know you are interested in hearing what she has to say, not just what she looks like. As tempting as it might be for your eyes to wander south, always remember the saying “eyes up here”. If you hear those words on your date, you have been caught and have most likely lost some serious points with your date.

Do plan out the date in advance – Be a man and take the lead. Show your date that you know how to have a good time and make plans/arrangements ahead of time. The last thing most women want to hear on a first date is “what would you like to do?”. Have a plan and a backup plan in the event your date just isn’t into the current activity/event. She will be impressed with how well you are prepared and flexible you can be.

Do meet in public – Ok, this is to benefit you both. While both parties always hope things will go smoothly, every once in a while you run across a few potential stalkers. Meeting in public allows either party to return home without the worry of having an unwanted and unexpected visitor later.

Do use humor – If you ask most women what they want in a man, a good sense of humor is always towards the top of the list. Don’t be afraid to tell a funny joke or story, just be tasteful. Make sure you stick to mainstream comedy if you are unsure if your date might take offense or not.

Do be a gentleman – Ok guys, you can score some serious point here. Open all doors (even car/taxi doors), pull out chairs, pay complements, etc. Women love to feel special and important, and by doing these basic things she will see you know how to treat her like a lady, not like one of the guys.

Do offer to pay – I know some might disagree with this one, but for me paying for the first date is a no brainer. Doing this lets your date know that you are not worried or thinking about the cost of the date, but are more interested in having a good time and focusing on her instead. This also gets back to being a gentleman, just do it and you will most likely be rewarded later down the road.

Do follow up after the date – If you both had a good time and you want there to be at least a second date, follow up the date with a phone call, email, or text (just don’t go overboard). Let you date know that you had a good time and are looking for to the next. Once again, women love to feel wanted and a simple follow up will do just that.

The Don’ts:

Don’t talk about past relationships – We all have past relationships, but a first date is not the time to talk about them. First dates should always be about getting to know each other, so stay focused on that. If things work out between you two there will be time later down the road to discuss pervious relationships.

Don’t be over physical – Guys, take your cues from your date. She will let you know what kind and how much physical contact she wants. It is always better to keep it in your pants on the first date than to scare her away by being overly physical.

Don’t get drunk – Ok, I wish I didn’t even have to include this one, but sometimes those first date jitters can push us to one drink too many. While it is ok to enjoy a few drinks with you date, just remember you are making a first impression. Play it cool and mix it up with non-alcoholic drinks throughout the night to make sure you don’t come off as a drunken idiot and blow it.

Don’t be a yes man – You are a man, it is ok to have an opinion. While I do not recommend arguing, it is ok to disagree with your date if you don’t share the same point of view on a topic. Agreeing to disagree shows a woman that you know how to standup for what you believe in, but that you don’t have to always be right.

Don’t checkout other women – This one should also be a no brainer. Remember you are out with your date and not the guys. If you are not interested in your date, it is much better to end the date early that to disrespect her by acting like a dog. Remember women love to talk and you never know when you might end up dating someone she knows down the road.

Don’t answer your cell phone – Unless your house is on fire, or someone is hurt, do not answer that cell phone. Once again, your attention should be focused on your date. Answering phone calls or texts during your date is distasteful and distracting. It is also a fast way to give your date the impression that you are not into her. Once again, if this is the case end the date early, don’t be disrespectful!

Ok, so there you have it. Like I said at the beginning this is by no means a complete list, but if you follow the advice listed about you are bound to have a more enjoyable first date experience than flying blind and winging it!

If you have some additional do’s and don’ts for first dates, let me hear them! Comments are always welcomed!