1. Carve out a good chunk of time

It’s not that it takes three hours to get ready, it’s just that getting ready can often be the most fun part of the evening. If we’re excited about you, we want to take our time and slowly get ready while we enjoy the anticipation of what could be a truly great date.

2. Research the venue

If it’s an exciting date there is a 100% chance I am googling the restaurant and figuring out what I am going to order beforehand. This is because I love food, but also because hitting the perfect balance of healthy-but-not-too-healthy and definitely-won’t-spill-sauce-on-my-dress is difficult and I’m going to be too flustered to figure it out while I’m sitting across from you.

3. Perfume

Coco Chanel said that a woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future. That might be a bit extreme but when it comes to finding love, I’m not going to take that risk. A special perfume makes me feel romantic and sexy, ready to flirt and be flirted with. It sets the mood for the perfect romantic evening.

4. Pinterest while working

For a date a girl is really excited about, she might spend an afternoon she is supposed to be working sending outfits or hairstyles or beauty looks from Pinterest back and forth over gChat with her friend. It’s a kind of grown-up make believe where you get to imagine how well it can go and that this is a night you’ll always remember because it went so well. The clothes and pins are secondary, an excuse to facilitate a big, juicy daydream.

5. Blasting embarrassing love songs

I’m sorry to say that my go-to song to listen to while I get ready for a first date is “U Smile” by Justin Bieber. Cringeworthy? Yes. But also incredibly fun to listen to and just give in to the fun and cheesiness of the moment. Some girls (like me) have a playlist of fun, optimistic songs that make getting ready a lot of fun. There is probably also a lot of closed door aggressive/dorky dancing going on as well.

6. Shave

Legs, lady parts, arms, the little hair some girls have on their big toe — everywhere. This is part of what I call a “deep shower” where you do everything you’re too lazy to keep up with on the day-to-day: exfoliate, deep condition, maybe even a color boost. And lotion everywhere.

7. Make the entire apartment spotless

If it’s a promising date and there is the slightest possibility we might end up at my place after I will spend hours making sure every single surface is clean and the place looks interesting and inviting. I’ll also be burning candles so it smells lovely. I’ve even gone so far as to buy an expensive whiskey (which I don’t usually drink) so that I would have something nice to offer as a nightcap.