MEET & GREET

DATING 101:

DO and DON’T for that first meetup

by Lizette Verdugo

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We all know that being single can suck if it is not what you choose, and can suck even more when all of your friends are in healthy and happy relationships. Potential mates read up, yes I’m talking to you reading this article, every woman wants to be wined and dined, but there are a few aspects to dating that we think you are missing. Here are some tips to keep your lady interested, and if you are good at following these do’s and don’ts then you just may find yourself in a loving and long-lasting relationship. 

Let’s start with the DOs

Do: Call her to confirm a casual meeting spot, preferably a coffee house, or a quaint cafe. Wink, wink, ladies you don't have to stress out over an evening look.

Do: Dress nice for the date, a nice shirt and pants will do nicely for a casual spot. Think about it women make the effort to look nice for you, so make the effort and look nice too, and not like you grabbed clothes off the floor and threw them on.

Do: Be on time. Nothing rubs women the wrong way than a date that is running late. Make the time to leave early in anticipation of bad traffic, or other impending issues. 

Do: Be a gentleman and greet her as she enters by standing up, a gentle hug, a compliment, and pulling out her chair which makes a great first impression.

Do: Engage her in conversation that does not require her to answer "yes" or "no" continuously, I mean how annoying is it to be in a conversation where someone continues to ask you questions every other sentence.

Do: Maintain eye contact. I am sure that your surroundings may be interesting, but not as interesting as the person you are sitting across from. 

Lastly, Do: end the date on a positive note, even if didn't turn out the way you had hoped. Doing this speaks volumes to your character, and lets her know that even though there was no love connection you were a great guy. 

Remember that a first impression is a lasting impression, your actions will determine if you will see her again, or if you will just end up drowning in a single dating pool.  

Image courtesy of Unsplash | Photographer: @goodfacesagency

Meeting that special someone can be a daunting task, especially with the rise in APP dating, swiping right could mean meeting that right person or could make you wish you swiped left instead. Remember that a first impression is a lasting impression, your actions will determine if you will see each again, or if you will just end up drowning in a single dating pool.

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Lizette Verdugo

Contributing writer

Michaela Rafferty

Contributing editor

Image Courtesy of Unsplash | Photographer: @goodfacesagency

Now the dreaded Don’ts

Don't: I may have to repeat this, DON'T text her to confirm a meeting spot, because nothing says "I am too busy to talk to you" than an inconsiderate text message.

Don't: Dress like you are going to the beach, you know cargo shorts and flip flops. I mean really unless you agreed to meet at the beach, leave that attire in the closet. 

Don't: Make excuses about why you were late, at the very least keep her in the loop with your ETA, and lastly APOLOGIZE for being late.

Don't: Start off the conversation with time, you know what I'm talking about: “I can't stay long because I have somewhere else to be”, at the very least, discuss this issue before the actual date, because you don't want to come off as a jerk. 

Don't: Talk about exes, child problems, or financial issues on a date. Do I really need to spell out why that would be a disaster?  

Don't: Take phone calls or respond to text messages during the date. Unless you have, an absolutely good reason for doing it, if not then DON'T. 

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IMAGES COURTESY OF UNSPLASH | PHOTOGRAPHER: @goodfacesagency

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