First Date Dos

by Benjamin Todd — November 7, 2007

Sure, everyone knows what not to do on first dates (talk about your ex, talk about yourself too much, order the most expensive thing on the menu). But knowing what you shouldn't do on a first date is the easy part, it's the should part that gets confusing. Here are some tips to get you started.

You should wear something that highlights your best physical feature. You know why you're hot, and don't be confused about the message you're sending by flaunting that. You want to be attractive in more than one way. Carrying a conversation is great, but it is pointless without some sexual tension (unless you want to wind up as friends). That blue sweater that accentuates your eyes is great first-date ammunition.

You definitely need a story. Tales of travel and adventure are the best way to show what kind of person you are and how fun you can be. Stories of exotic places will allow your date to visualize paradise to the sound of your voice. It may sound cheesy, but it works (Joey did it on Friends; there was a whole episode about it). Practice your story on your friends. The art of story-telling is often over looked. If you're story ends without a punch line or fantastic finish, you'll miss the point entirely. But be sure not to babble on and on about everything you've ever done. One or two good stories work better than ten.

You want to touch your date (hopefully), so DO! Physical contact is the toughest barrier to break when out with someone you hardly know. Don't wait for your date to be the one comfortable enough to put an arm around you. Be casually aggressive by touching their arm or hand. If the two of you can't seem to break the contact barrier, challenge your date to a thumb-wrestling contest...at least you'll be holding hands...sort of.

You absolutely must be nice to the waiter. If you're out to dinner, there is nothing more unappealing than buying dinner for a bitch. So what if your waiter took 10 minutes to bring you your water? A bad attitude is going to turn off your date and piss off your waiter. Your waiter may have a dozen good excuses for being slow, or forgetful, or just plain dumb. But you have no excuse to chastise the service. Show some class by laughing it off and pretending not to care.

You might want to give your date a lead for your next date. At some point during your date, you've hopefully found a few things in common. One of these common interests can (and should) be easily applied to an activity that could be your second date. If you and your date love action movies, then repeat a specific one that you can't wait to see. If tennis is your thing, then remind your date how long it has been since you've played. If you can't think of anything that you both haven't done, take advantage of some local attraction or show that you have been to that your date hasn't. Emphasize how much fun you had at "Mortified" last time and how much you think your date would enjoy it.