Advice for first dates

From the few first dates I've had so far, I formulated the following suggestions:

1.  Confirm with your date the day, time, and place to meet a day or two beforehand.  This will avoid confusion or misunderstanding, and help keep your dates straight if you are seeing multiple people. 

2.  Be on time.  Call/text your date if you will be late (if even for 5 minutes) - it shows consideration.

3.  Dress appropriately for the venue and weather (attire is different for dinner at a fancy restaurant versus ballgame).  Whether you wear a t-shirt or dress, make sure the clothing is presentable - no wrinkles, stains, or holes.  If the clothing has these imperfections, iron, clean or mend them.  Or pick out another article of clothing.  If it is a brand new article of clothing, make sure you take the tag off.

4.  Most people like to meet for coffee/tea/drinks on a first date.  This allows you to easily "escape" and end the date if it is not going well.  If it goes well, you can extend the date by having dinner afterwards, or simply going on a second date.

5.  Turn off your phone or put it on vibrate.  If you forget and you get a call/text, try to ignore it or talk/text briefly.  You want to focus on your date.
6.  Talk about things from your date's profile, but do not make it seem like an interview. 

7.  Do not discuss topics that may be negative (such as how you dislike your job) or awkward (such as salary and past relationships - concentrate on the present instead).  Please see my post on Questions to ask on a first date.
8.  Resist from checking your date out on Facebook, Google, etc.  You may slip and say something which is not in their profiles but only on those sites, so your date will know you stalked them via internet.

9.  You may laugh at this suggestion, but I am writing this because it happened to me on a date - if you need to pass gas, excuse yourself and go to the bathroom!  Otherwise, it is embarrassing for you and not pleasant for your date.  (I thought it was the smell of bad food passing by our table at first until I realized that my date passed gas.  But I was polite and just suffered through it until the smell faded.  This leads to the next suggestion...)
10. It is good to be cordial and classy on dates, even if you do not think it will work out.  You never know if your date may know someone you know, and it may come back to bite you.   (See my post on How to reject someone in dating.)

For the ladies:

1.  Tell a friend when your date is, where you are going, who your date is, and his contact information in case something happens.  Call/text your friend when you get home to let them know you are safe.  You can also discuss how the date went!

2.  Meet in a public place.  Do not go to one of your homes (unless you may want to get intimate - see the forum on Timing of first intercourse in a new relationship).

3.  Have your own way of getting home, so you do not rely on the guy to take/drive you home.  Do not get into his car!  Carry cash in case you need to get a cab.  Have the contact info for car service in case cabs are not frequently available where you are (or if it is very late at night). 

4.  The guy is trying to impress you, so try to compliment or acknowledge his effort or things he does/says.  For example, if he takes you to an expensive restaurant, say, "Thank you for choosing such a wonderful restaurant.  The decor/service was amazing and the food was delicious."  It will make him feel appreciated.

5.  Laugh at his jokes, or at least smile if they weren't that funny. 

6.  If you drink alcohol, do not get buzzed or drunk.  You want to be coherent, make good judgments, and able to get yourself home.  It is also not attractive if you are slurring your speech or vomiting on him.

7.  I think it is nice for women to at least offer to pay for their share of the meal (oftentimes, the guy will still insist on paying for everything anyway), but that is just my own opinion.

For the gentlemen:

1.  Be galant – compliment her beautiful looks/dress/hair, hold the door for her, etc.

2.  Pay for the meal.  Do not use a gift card or coupon.

3.  At the end of the date, if you are debating about kissing on the lips, kissing her cheek, or hugging, I think the latter two are safe since not all women kiss on the lips on the first date.  But if you think there was mutual chemistry and she won't mind kissing on the lips, then go for it.  (See my post on The first date kiss.)

4.  It is classy if you text (or call) your date to make sure she got home safely, even if you don't think you want to go out with her again.

5.  Please do women a favor, and do NOT wait too long to call/text us for the next date.  It is even fine to ask us out again at the end of the first date.