While first date formulas can appear tricky, a girl just really wants the basics upon your first burger together. Nerves will always pop up, anxious silences will stretch on, questionable things will be shared, but most of the time those are never really deal breakers. No one's sitting there with a mental tally in their head; even the most demanding of girls can appreciate that a first date will have a couple of blunders along the way. But what are deal breakers are small things that may seem insignificant at first, but end up to be very telling (like showing up 40 minutes late!) Below are seven things women want on a first date- because it's time we got the record straight.
1. Be On Time
Have you ever found yourself sitting at the bar, nursing a beer, and people watching the characters tucked away into corner booths and bar stools? While waiting for a guy to park is completely okay (and gives you a second to tell your butterflies to slow their roll) waiting so long that you've ordered your second drink and have gone through your emails twice is straight up aggravating. Is it too much to ask not to spend a whole thirty minutes debating if you've been stood up or not?
2. Put In Some Effort
I don't expect a guy to walk in with coat tails when we're just grabbing a friendly drink, but seeing a guy come through the door in Adidas sweats or an old college hoodie is slightly...off putting. Mainly because I've spent the better portion of a half hour agonizing over which shoes will make you fall in love with me and if a sweater or a dress will convey my personality better. Meanwhile, it looks like you turned off a Simpsons marathon twenty minutes ago, rolled off the couch, and came out to meet me. It just doesn't make me feel important, is all.
3. Ask Me a Couple Of Questions
Have you ever found yourself on a date where you seem to be the only one taking any interest? You ask them question after question, turning into friggen Katie Couric as they respond in typical interview-trepidation format. It's like they're hesitant to share too much and then, even worse, won't ask you any questions to boot. You either have to force on that funny story over how you got a flat tire or end up shredding the label off of your beer bottle because the silence is growing awkward. Just please, it's not that hard to ask the girl if she has any brothers or sisters.
4. Don't Make Me Feel Like I'm Being Hunted
It'd be real nice if halfway through the date I didn't feel like, if I came over for a nightcap, you'd make my skin into a trench coat. Don't be creepy, man. Get out of my space and try to seem interested in me as a human being before trying to get me to come over to see your "vacation pictures."
5. Give Me Your Undivided Attention
There's nothing worse than being in the middle of a story and, upon glancing back, notice that their eyes are fixed on the television above your head. It's enough to make you want to throw your head back and groan and make an excuse that you have to feed your goldfish and you have to go. Or even worse yet: Catch him checking out a particularly hot girl across the room. C'mon guy, even if we're not hitting it off exactly, don't make me want to throw my drink over your head all dramatic like.
6. Act Like A Quasi-Gentleman
I'm not even asking for the full shebang where you open my car door or offer to pay for dinner. I just want a little crumb of what it means to be polite. Like don't walk through a door and have it slam in my face as I'm directly behind you, or offer to walk me to my car if it's parked four blocks away and it's past nine. Little things like that go a helluva long way for me not hating you.
7. Give Me a Hint About How It Went
If the date went like a Lifetime movie and we're already a step away from falling in love, give the girl a clue that you'll be calling her again. There's nothing worse than a hug goodbye and a walk to your car in opposite directions, leaving the next step frustratingly open ended. Even the words "I had fun, I'll text you," can put hours of dissecting every move with best friends to rest. On the other side, if you have no intention of calling, don't say you will. Just do a casual "It was nice meeting you" and walk the other way. We all know what it means, and it won't leave us clutching the cell phone for days later, wondering what kind of car accident you got to to warrant the empty inbox.
