| Tips for Him |
Tips for Her |
| Make an effort to clean yourself up — it shows that you care about the date. Be sure to shave that day. Don’t wear a wrinkled shirt with slippers or sneakers. |
Laugh and have fun. If you’re excited to be on the date, which hopefully you are, really show it. Trust me — the guy wants to know if you’re having a good time. |
| Guys have a tendency to let their mind wander. When you’re on the date, be attentive, ask questions and really listen. And don’t forget to make eye contact. Eye contact and a nice smile can steal a woman’s heart. |
I know too many women (more so than men) who conduct the date like an interview. Don’t ask him how much money he earns or if he has a 401K (even if you really want to know). You’re not writing his portfolio. |
| If you’re going out to dinner, brush up on your table manners. If you hold your fork like a toothbrush, please ask someone to show you the right way. |
If you have four cats, he may not need to know that right away. No one loves your pets like you do. |
| Do not flirt with the server or the bartender. You can be kind and courteous (which will score you some points) without being flirtatious. |
Don’t ask him what happened between him and his ex. (Woman have the compulsive tendency to ask this one. Poor men — we can be the nosiest creatures on the planet sometimes.) |
| If you want to go out with her on the weekend, don’t call her on Friday — I find a lot of guys make this mistake. Don’t forget, in those first three months she may not be dating exclusively, so don’t assume she’s sitting back waiting for you to call. |
In that first encounter, you don’t need to tell him if you just lost 25 pounds. I know you’re proud, but in those first couple dates I think it creates a visual you may not want him to have so soon. |
| No matter how excited you are, don’t send flowers after only a couple dates. It makes women nervous if you come on too strong. I’d wait until you’re at least a few months in. |
Promote your intelligence, but don’t be afraid to show your softer side. (In other words, it’s OK to let him open the pickle jar). A man wants an intelligent independent woman, but he also wants her to be feminine. |
| Tip for Him and Her |
| On an initial date, don’t go someplace you frequent. If you do that you’re more likely to run into people you know which increases the potential for awkward moments. |
| When you’re talking about yourself don’t lie, but don’t feel like you have to cover everything right away either. A little mystery is a good thing. |
| Talk about your hobbies. If you like skiing, boating, etc. If you like traveling, talk about places you’ve been. |
| Don’t talk about medications you're on. Sure, half the world’s on antidepressants, but do you want to really talk about it on your first date? |
| If you’re enjoying a first date and you know a certain topic is going to be bad news, just avoid it. Feel free to say “I’d really rather not talk about that.” |
| Too much too soon is a nightmare. People in the early stages of dating don’t need to talk every day. But maybe don’t go more than two days without giving each other a call. |
| Maintain who you are, what you stand for, and the things that you like to do. Don’t change your lifestyle too early on. If you push them just a little bit, they’ll come back, and if they don’t then it probably wasn’t meant to be. |
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