The 10 Top First Date Rules

The 10 Top

First Date Rules

by Shayna Border

You have just received the phone call you’ve been waiting on.  The new guy your sister has been raving about is on the phone wanting to know when he can meet you.  She’s impressed…and you’re impressed with how he sounds.  You can’t wait.  It’s been a while since you’ve met anyone appealing, and this guy sounds like a winner.  He wants to meet you tomorrow…and you’re ready.  But wait…slow down.  First, you’ve got to understand The 10 First Date Rules.

• Never set a date the same week as the initial contact.  Always, always, set it up for the following week.  You must never give the impression that you have nothing else better to do.  After all, you are ( if not, you oughta be) a busy person with a life already.
• The initial date should be breakfast, lunch, or evening drinks, just in case the attraction is not mutual or the conversation is boring.  The Hook-Up:  If possible, make sure you meet at the agreed-upon location in separate cars if you’ve never met before.  You must leave yourself open for a quick getaway in case you need one.  Many get trapped on first dates due to a lack of chemistry long after their interest has dwindled.   Rule of thumb:  When you go on a first date you must hope for the best, and prepare for the worst.  The key objective is not to waste anyone’s time, especially yours.
• First Date Decorum- Dinner can be too confining and formal for a first meeting.  A friend went out to dinner with a guy on a first date and realized after he ordered his third cocktail (in ten minutes) that she was no longer interested and ready for the night to end.  However, she felt compelled and trapped because dinner had been ordered and by the time dinner was over, he’d had 6 drinks and was slurring his words..
• If you’re a woman, offer to share the bill if it’s breakfast or lunch.
• If you’re a guy, don’t let her.
• Relax and be yourself. Don’t pretend to be the kind of person you think this person would like.  People who depict their true selves have a higher success rate with the opposite sex, than people who don’t.  Be sure to listen carefully to his every word and pay attention.  If he tells you that his last ex moved out and left all her clothes and jewelry, head for the nearest exit.
• Don’t ignore unfavorable behavior.  On this one, you can’t be staring into his dreamy eyes, and be oblivious to him checking out the curves of the waitress as she takes your order, with lust in his eyes.
• Have an open mind.  This person could be your soulmate.  Don’t be too quick to dismiss the first meet as a loss, if you fail to connect from the physical standpoint.  If the person is nice to talk to, seek out the beauty spots.  We all have at least one, and this person could have some hidden assets that don’t jump out at you.
• Don’t worry about it if you don’t click at all.  You could have possibly made a new friend or a great business contact.  Make sure the encounter ends on a friendly note.
• Don’t name-drop unless you have a spotless reputation.  If you have to clean up your act, don’t connect yourself to the names of people who could give you a bad rap or not speak favorably of you.