4 Tips for Better Dates - Time to Prepare

It’s not easy being adventurous when it comes to dating, but there are some tried-and-true tips that can help you stand out from the crowd.

The “how to prepare for a date with a guy” is a post that discusses 4 tips for better dates.

Kyle J. Byard contributed this guest article as an editor’s note.

I had to write an essay on a part of my family’s history while I was in elementary school. My father advised that I speak with my grandpa and ask him about how he met and married my grandma. I recall thinking it was a little strange that one of my grandparents’ dates included a trip to watch a 3D movie. I recall thinking that a 3D movie wasn’t especially romantic when I was a youngster, but as I’ve grown older, dated, and married, I’ve come to know that my grandpa was correct.

Many guys nowadays tend to feel that dates fit into one of three categories:

1. Dinner

2. a film

3. A movie and dinner

Boring!

Place yourself in the shoes of the girl who has consented to accompany you on your date. She’s taking a risk by going out with you, even if she likes you. The contemporary world is a fast-paced environment with a plethora of activities to keep us occupied. First date ideas should be interesting in order to set you apart from other possible suitors, and the old dinner and a movie routine isn’t going to cut it.

So I’ve come up with a few ideas to help you organize a date that will leave a lasting impression on a female. Even if the relationship doesn’t work out, there’s some satisfaction in knowing that the dates you took her on may very well become the barometer by which she measures any future dates.

Suggestion #1: The “Conversation Date” is your first date.

Going out meant claiming to be someone’s “boyfriend” in junior high (it helped if the girl in question consented to be your “girlfriend”). To be labeled “a couple,” you didn’t even have to speak to her. Now is the time to grow a pair!

There is always more to learn about a person, no matter how well you believe you know them. As a result, the first date should not only be memorable and enjoyable, but also favorable to discourse. That implies there will be no movies. You can’t chat throughout a movie without upsetting a lot of people who paid ten dollars for a ticket, which isn’t something you want to do.

“Well, that’s great,” you may think, “I’ll simply take her out to dinner,” but it may not be the best choice either. Dinner may be difficult for a variety of reasons. Some women are self-conscious when it comes to their eating habits (including the foods they order and the way they eat). Eating is, in many respects, a more personal action than we give it credit for. Also, when it comes to shoveling down whatever sumptuous hunk of meat he chooses to order, the gentleman in training may forget to slow down enough to actually have a conversation with the live, breathing human being across the table from him.

Who wants to spend the rest of the night trying to figure out whether they have asparagus trapped in their teeth?

A successful first date will give lots of opportunity for conversation as well as cater to your and your date’s mutual interests, rather than focusing on watching each other eat.

This leads me to my second recommendation.

Suggestion #2: Engage in activities that she enjoys.

Anyone up for a game of tennis?

This is particularly good on the first date since it indicates you’ve taken the time to learn a little about her likes and dislikes, but it’s also helpful on future dates.

My wife, for example, enjoys playing tennis. She used to be a member of her high school tennis team, but she didn’t have much time to play until she started college. It was the ideal date since it was something she liked but didn’t get to do much of because she didn’t have someone to play with. It didn’t appear to bother her that I’m a lousy tennis player; in fact, she seemed to love chasing me around the court. Of course, I was a good sport about it, and it turned out to be a lot of fun for both of us.

If you don’t know a girl very well, her blog or Facebook profile could be useful resources. To find out what she enjoys doing, read her blog and check through her favorites. I wouldn’t make your date feel like you’re stalking her on Facebook, but if she asks where you got the idea for the date, be honest and say something like, “I read on your blog that you’re interested in (insert name of activity here),” and leave it at that.

Later in the relationship, you’ll most likely discover shared hobbies, which can serve as excellent platforms for dates that you can both enjoy as you become closer.

With a weenie roast, you can never go wrong. But make sure you’re not staring into each other’s eyes for too long!

Suggestion #3: Try something new or unusual.

Grandpa was a shrewd businessman.

This is where my tale about my grandparents and the 3D film comes into play (I know you were wondering when I was going to tie that in). While 3D seems to be the most recent ploy to fleece moviegoers for large sums of money, it was an unique notion in the 1950s. For doing something a little “out there,” my grandfather gets furious points.

Unique and unusual dates will not only provide you with simple conversation starters, but the thrill they inspire will also help you connect.

Consider enrolling in a sketching or culinary class. Take a kayaking trip. Play a round of Frisbee golf. Visit a museum or an intriguing art display.

The goal is to go out there and accomplish something. The image of a passive date is instilled in the minds of most men, yet an active date will always be more memorable.

Suggestion #4: Start Preparing Food

The stomach is said to be the key to a man’s heart; this is also true for women.

Cooking is a male activity. If you want to have a dinner date, forgo the restaurant and save some money (but don’t be cheap!) by making something delicious in your own home.

If you truly want to wow her the next time she invites you over, bring a box of cooking equipment, take over her kitchen, and dazzle her with your culinary ability. Just make sure you don’t make a mess! (It’s critical that you be asked over for this to work; if you show up without giving her enough time to clean up, she’ll be upset, not impressed.)

Don’t know how to prepare a meal? So let’s get started! Learning new abilities is a macho thing to do. Cooking should not be too difficult for you if you have some patience and know how to read. My wife and I enjoy to look up recipes on the website allrecipes.com. Matt Moore is usually a fantastic source of advice on AoM. Alternatively, you could just download the Art of Manliness Man Cookbook and prepare something macho and tasty for her.

I hope my recommendations have inspired you to think of new ways to make dates more memorable. What are some of your ideas for fun dates?

The “dinner date tips” are 4 tips for better dates. The tips include not being too picky, asking the person out on a date, and going to dinner.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best dating tips?

A: If a person is really interested in you, dont take their lack of interest as rejection. If they ignore your text messages and never respond to them try not to get upset over it.

How do you make dates more special?

A: One way to make dates more special is by taking the time before the date, and preparing a gift or something that will be given on that day. Giving flowers for your partners birthday, for example. Another way is to do something unique during an activity – perhaps you could go camping with them instead of going out to dinner?