How To Impress A Girl On The First Date

1. Call. Don’t text.

That a phone call achieves in one minute what back and forth text messaging will in twenty, is enough reason to give your date a ring. But beyond the practicality, a call is a simple way to humanize your interaction and put both parties at ease. A phone call says, “Hi, I am confident and want to go out with you. So I am going to.” Your date will feed off of your energy—if she feels like you’re comfortable (even if you’re not), chances are higher that she will be too.

2. Suggest an activity

You might be nervous about suggesting an activity—does she like ethnic food? (You can ask her with your new phone call skills.) Is bowling too nerdy? Is dinner and a movie too cliche? But it really doesn’t matter. Own what you choose to do with confidence and she will be happy to join you. Whatever you do, avoid this interaction:

Guy: “Hey, still wanna hang out today?”
Girl: “Yeah I’d love to!”
Guy: “What do you wanna do?”

Well, what I would like to do now is tell you that you’re annoying.

This goes both ways. Ladies, if you asked him out, then activity responsibility is all you. Promising activity number one? Invite him to watch a World Cup match and impress him with the wealth of knowledge you learned using FindTheBest’s match tracker.

3. Pick her up

If you just met, she might decline the offer, but offering to lend a ride is thoughtful to do. It’s just one more way to show your date that you are considerate and will go out of your way to make the evening as enjoyable as possible for her.

4. Open doors

This can go one of two ways. Many girls still appreciate when guys open car and building doors, pull out chairs, etc. But every now and then, you’ll stumble across a wonderfully independent lady who will inform you that she has arms and can do that herself thank you very much. You’ll want to gauge your audience.

5. Make eye contact

Making eye contact with the person you are talking to is not a date-only thing. It is a life thing. Do it.

6. Control the wandering eye

If you have the eye contact down, don’t practice your skills with the server or a girl you walk by on the street. Your date will notice and appreciate if your eyes are on her.

7. Pay

Hopefully this tradition changes sooner rather than later, but in 2014, it’s still a bit of a red flag if you don’t pay. Your date should offer to cover her half, but unless you’re out with the “I have arms, thanks” kind of girl from tip four, don’t let her. If you really have some sort of moral antipathy to the “men pay” tradition, then explain why you don’t want to cover the whole shebang. Other than that, sorry men, you’re covering date numero uno.

8. Tell her why you’re the best all night

Tell her all about your how you crushed your sales quotas this month and dropped bank on bottle service the last time you went to Vegas.

Except don’t. Instead…

Real number 8: Ask her questions

Going on a first date is not the time to rehash how great you are. It’s the time to find out how great somebody else is. So ask your date questions and find out what she’s all about. She’ll appreciate your genuine interest and the opportunity to share. And if it’s right, you’ll love listening.