Dating Tips

Have you ever been asked on a date, or asked for a date, then find your date making all sort of excuses to end the date asap? Or find yourself reaching the answering machine every time you try to call for a second date? Do you wonder what went wrong?

Well of course, Ms. Devious is here to help you with all the Datings Dos and Dont's. It's not by any means, dating rules of course, but it helps if you could keep in mind at least some of them when you are out on a date. Most are just drawn from common sense and basic etiquette, but some are from personal experience.

Here's the Dos:

1. Do try to look your best and be punctual on dates. Never let your date wait around for you. And don't appear too eager either. If you are a guy, don't show up at your date's door 1 hour earlier, it would freak her out. And if you are a girl, don't let your guy wait around for you more than 10 minutes! Of course if the inevitable happens, be frank about it and tell your date.

If there's a bad traffic and you are stuck, tell her the truth. Don't keep saying "I am on my way" and 1 hour later, you are still not there. That certainly won't give your date a good impression of you.

2. Do have fun when dating. Be spontaneous and always have a sense of humor, it won't kill you to laugh at yourself if you made a mistake.

3. Be attentive. Interact with your date and pay attention when he/she talks to you. Make sure your eyes don't wander off somewhere, it's just plain rude when you are both having a conversation, and you are busy ogling at another hottie. If your date keeps looking at his/her watch, it might be a cue to end the date early, so be considerate about it.

4. Do flatter and compliment your date on the way they look and the things they wear. People tend to go to a lot of effort on a date (hopefully) so being told that you are looking good is a nice thing to hear.

5. Be interested and interesting. Interested in your date's conversation, opinions, thoughts, and also give your own interesting feedback.

6. Do go with the flow. If you feel like the date is not going anywhere, then try to end it early in a nice way. If you feel like going for a walk, suggest it to your date. If you are hungry, ask your date if he/she wants something to eat.

7. Do date the type of people you like and are attracted to, whatever your friends may say. Approval by your peers doesn't prove a thing. Likewise, if you don't like the guy/girl at all, then don't agree to a date.

8. Do come up with a plan and a back-up plan. Girls do not fancy guys who have no idea what and where they are going, so be creative and come up with a 'proposal'. Girls, be sure to have a back-up plan in case your date doesn't have one. Suggestions are always good.

9. Dating is a creative diversion, it requires concentration and energy so when you are dating keep some plans in the forefront of your mind and allow dating to take you to places you always wanted to visit within your own city.

10. Do make dating happen for yourself. People will not come and ring your bell from nowhere. Dating requires positive action so go out there and meet people, as many people as you can. Practice your chat and flirting on shop workers, bar attendants, anywhere and everywhere. Being nice to people is very sexy and great fun.

11. If you are a guy, always offer to pay for the first few dates, or at least the first date. It's just a chivalrous act and your date would likely not be impressed by a man who wants to split the bills on a first date.

12. If you are a girl, offer to pay for the tidbits if he's buying the movie tickets; don't expect the guy to pay everything. If he declines to accept your payment, then it's fine. Don't start to argue on that.

13. If you are sending her (or him) home, please give him/her a call if he/she had to take a long walk from the car to the residence to ensure he/she returns safely.

14. If you enjoyed the date, try sending a sms thanking your date and telling him/her how much you have enjoyed the night.

Dating Don'ts

1. Never call someone more than once a day unless they reply. Desperation and instability are huge turn offs. Try not to cancel a date last minute unless you really can't make it. And be honest about it, because your 'potential' date would not likely to accept a second date from you or ask you for a second date unless you can come up with a good reason.

2. Do not keep worrying about what you are going to say. Sometimes silence is OK. It's a little awkward, but if you relax, sooner or later the ice will be broken. Don't force yourself to talk if you really can't think of anything to say.

3. Don't mumble when speaking, speak up and look at your date and try to maintain eye contact even if your heart is beating twice as fast and you are blushing all over.

4. Do not brag about yourself and keep talking about yourself the whole night. Like I said, flatter your date, but not flatter yourself. It would make you look obnoxious and arrogant. If your date asks you how your work and life is, be careful not to go overboard or it will come across as boasting if you keep on and on about how wonderful your life/work is and how much money you are making.

5. This relates to #4. Don't be too eager and give away too much about yourself at the start. People love enigma and mystery. Revealing to your new date your inner most secrets on date number two will quickly ruin everything. A small bit at a time people.

6. Do not go overboard with compliments. Telling your date that he/she looks good once or twice is fine, don't keep telling him/her that he/she is gorgeous the whole time, else your date would think you are a freak. Do not exaggerate the compliments either. For example, if you think he/she is wearing a nice dress, say so... and stop there. Don't continue on and on or your compliments would appear fake and insincere.

7. Never be too available. Being available every night of the week and at the end of every whimsical phone call or possible rendezvous means you are making yourself uninteresting and a possible doormat. Be busy, be unavailable generally and be interesting.

8. Never check other people out when you are with your date. You may think you are subtle , your date will be heading for the door. Have the courtesy of concentrating solely on your date when you are with them. That includes keeping your phone to vibrate/silent mode or switching it off completely. It wouldn't look good if you keep sms-ing on your date. If you really can't stay away from the phone because of work, then make it short.

9. Don't be rude or get drunk on a date. Courtesy and manners will get you everywhere. Do not try to show your authority by yelling at the waiter or something. This will definitely not impress your date. Always speak in a courteous manner.

10. Don't ignore your personal safety when dating, especially if you are a girl. Have a cellular phone and keep it charged, tell your friends where you are going and be safe. If you are dating for the first few times, it's best to do so in well known public places and never ever be pushed into anything you are not happy with.

11. Don't give out personal information like home phone numbers and addresses on a first date. Keep them until you are sure of your date and the future possibilities.

12. Don't go on a date with a mental checklist in mind, and consciously checking to see if your date meets your 'ideal requirements' during the date. Your date would definitely sense that he/she is being put on a 'preview', interview or something like that, and would not like it. If you want to evaluate your date, do it after the date ended.

13. Don't ask questions that are too intimate. Respect your date's privacy. Don't be too idle either. Try to ask some questions to show that you are interested.

14. Don't stare at your date, it would make him/her uneasy. Keeping eye contact doesn't mean you have to keep your eyes glued on the person the whole time. Always ensure your eyes meet his/hers and not elsewhere on his/her body parts.

15. Don't have sex on your first date...