7 Dating Don’ts

While on a date, some people are completely oblivious that they are violators of most of these unspoken dating rules. Doing any of these seven “dating don’ts” can make the difference between a great date and a terrible date.

1. Don’t keep checking your phone – Unless it’s an emergency, turn your phone on silent and put it away in your pocket or purse. Nothing is more frustrating than to be interrupted mid-conversation by a phone call. Even leaving your phone on the table can be distracting. You’ll be tempted to answer and your date might think you’re too busy to focus on the date. Do yourself a favor and just put it away.
2. Don’t Google or Facebook your date – Dating columnists have said this until they are blue in the face and people refuse to listen. By stalking your date online you take away a lot of the mystery and magic that should happen naturally. It also makes conversation even harder because you feel like you already know everything. Not everyone’s profile or search result information is completely accurate. Don’t ruin your impression of them before you even meet.
3. Don’t be negative – No one likes to be around someone who has a negative thing to say about everyone and everything. Negative attitudes are a big turnoff. It is unpleasant and ruins the mood. If you’ve had a bad day, let it all go before stepping out the door. Don’t let it ruin your night.
4. Don’t be inconsiderate – There are so many people in the world who are impolite to the wait staff at a restaurant. While you may think so or not, people take notice when someone is rude to servers and just strangers in general. Not only does it hurt your image, it’s also embarrassing to the other person at the table. So before you get upset and yell at the server who brought you a hamburger with onions instead of without, remember who is watching you.
5. Don’t make her pay. Don’t talk him out of paying – Ladies, if you refuse to let him pay, you may emasculate him. Guys, if you don’t pay, then you look cheap. If you want to take her out but, can’t afford a fancy restaurant, its fine to go somewhere cheaper. You don’t have to go to a five star restaurant to impress someone. So, do the gentlemanly thing, and treat her to dinner. With that said, after you have been dating for a while, it is okay to switch it up.
6. Don’t have too much to drink – Having to get your date to help you walk out of the restaurant isn’t attractive. Know your limits when it comes to drinking on a date. You don’t want to drink too much and embarrass yourself or do something you will regret later. Stick to a two or three drink max, just to be safe.
7. Don’t come on too strong – Don’t come on too strong physically or emotionally. Be aware of saying things that might scare them off or make them think you’re desperate. The fastest way to kill a date is to mention that you’re ready to get married and have 10 kids. Most people aren’t emotionally ready to hear things like that until they have been with someone for a while. Don’t ruin a good thing by trying to rush into making it something more serious. You also don’t want to make them uncomfortable by trying to push things physically. Be respectful and read their body language to see what they are comfortable with.

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