Dating: Dating Do's and Dont's For Women

It can be very difficult to be a woman in the dating game. Many things can go wrong for you, even more so than for your male counterpart, and men can be really dense about a few things. Well, don't worry. Here are a few tips on what to do and not to do during a date:

Timing is important - Timing as in 'on time'. I don't care what the "experts" say, there is no such thing as 'fashionably late'. For the first date especially, this can give the guy jitters and make him think that you've stood him up. Later on, if you continue dating him, having him wait for you in the living room for half an hour with either your roommate, your sister or, worse, your father is not something you want him to do. Don't make him sit through the embarrassing stories or Dad's "evil eye".

Keep your head on straight - Yes, we all know dates are supposed to be fun, but knowing what's going on is important both for your own safety and for your love life. Is your date acting suspicious or is he just nervous? You might want to end the date early or do something to calm him down. Is he noticing what you're wearing or just ogling? The choice to either wink at him or just stare knowingly is up to you. Is his attention on you or the girl next to you? You might wish to reward him with a smile or a slap. Situational awareness is not just for soldiers on the front lines but also for young women.

Be nice - Have a positive attitude, find things that you like and tell him what they are. Compliment him about his clothes, how he looks and how well the date is going. It puts him at ease and can make him feel important. It also shows him that you're taking notice of him and that you appreciate him. But, don't lie because as I said, look at the bright side of things - the service of the restaurant may have been slow but the ambience was terrific.

Don't complain - This may be technically part of the prior tip, but it deserves to be a tip in itself. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't tell him that something is wrong or something makes you uncomfortable. The way you phrase it and the tone you use is important here. 'Venting', like we do with our girl friends, is not going to go over well with him since he'll probably misinterpret it. Grin and bear it then tell him after the date calmly what your problem was. Trust me, he'll understand and he'll try to make it up to you.

Enjoy the date - A date is a chance to get to know each other and to enjoy yourselves. Try to have fun during the date. Try not to be hyper-critical, but just take things instride. If you're not having fun, your date will notice and, trust me, he will get nervous. This can ruin the experience for both of you. Also, just let your guard down for a bit and let him see the real you. He may or may not like it, but in the end he will appreciate the honesty of the act. Besides, if he doesn't like you as a person, why should you keep on dating?

If you like the guy, show interest - If you really like the guy, waiting for the call after a successful date can be nerve-wracking. You know he's interested and you're definitely interested so you're just waiting for him to call you for another date. Try giving him a day or two as he usually has to get his act together and work up the nerve to call. If he doesn't call, he's probably still tongue-tied from being in your presence so why don't you call him up to say hello. Talk about the date and how you had fun and give subtle hints about how much you liked the experience and that you had a good time. No matter how dense he is, he should then pick up on it and ask you for another date!

Be consistent - Now that the first date is over, try to maintaing the impression you made on him during the that date. Men don't like surprises except, of course, if they plan them. Talk to each other, both on and off dates, to try to get to know each other better. His impression on the first date was a sneak peek, what he should get from your continued dating should be the real you

Well, there they are seven tips for dating success!