Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
placeholder article
placeholder article

First Date Do’s and Don’ts

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Ohio U chapter.

First dates are scary for anyone.  Think about this situation really. You are going out to dinner, or any activity, with a stranger.  Someone you barely know at all, but society says it is normal so we go forth with it.  There can be some excitement for a single gal getting ready to go out for a first date, the butterflies and hopeful idea that maybe this guy won’t suck as much as the many that have come before him. But, at least for me, they are also terrifying!

I have had my fair share of first date horror stories.  A couple years ago I went out with this boy, and as I am walking to his car I slip on a patch of ice and hit the ground. I had to spend the rest of the night with my jeans, specifically my behind, wet for the rest of the night from the fall.  Later in the night, the boy also got my name wrong.  Needless to say, I never heard from him again.

After accepting the invitation, there are many things to consider before you embark on the first date experience.  Here is a list of important things to keep in mind:

DO be yourself- I know, I know, very cliché. But, eventually your true colors will show if this turns into a relationship.  If you act fake, then you will never know if it is true chemistry.

DON’T just assume he is going pay- I’m sorry ladies, but it is the 21st century.  Offering to pay shows that you are an independent girl, and most guys really dig that.  He might be persistent in paying, but offering is always nice.

DO get as much out of the conversation as you can- since it is the first date, there is a lot you two have to learn about each other, and you are going to want to know if this guy is a total creep before you agree to a second date.  Plus, people love to talk about themselves; so asking him some basic questions could really open him up and get the conversation going.

DON’T go in closed minded- it is possible that you just accepted the invitation to dinner to be nice, but you never, he could turn out to be great.  Sometimes you can only have has much fun as you let yourself, make the best of the situation and maybe he will surprise you.

Even if all else fails and your date doesn’t turn out to be prince charming, you still had a night out on the town, and maybe tried a new restaurant.  If something embarrassing like falling on ice happens, then trust me, your face is blushing now but eventually you will be laughing over it with your girlfriends.

Rebekah Meiser is a senior studying Magazine Journalism at Ohio University, with a split specialization in Italian and Art History. Like many Italians, she is obnoxiously proud of her heritage and fully embraces it by consuming embarrassing amounts of pasta, bread and cheese. She currently owes a scary amount of money to the government, but continues to masochistically check Net-a-Porter and Urban Outfitters online for beautiful items that she lusts but cannot afford. Rebekah goes to school in the middle of some of the best cornfields in Ohio. Although she finds the location less than ideal, she has become an avid star-gazer thanks to the unpolluted sky. A true lover of fashion, her friends make fun of her for playing dress up as often as she does, but she’s not one to be discouraged. Rebekah also loves to run (read: alternate between jogging and walking), read fashion blogs, bake, and read magazines (of which she owns a forest-worth). She hopes to live and work in New York City after she graduates in the spring.