1 - Dress the part.
Even if you’re still a teenager, it’s no excuse for failing to dress appropriately for wherever you’re going to. You can wear whatever you want if you’re bringing your date to a rock concert, or if you’re having lunch at a diner. But if you plan to take her somewhere fancy, like a fine dining restaurant or the opera, you better have your suit pressed and ready to impress.
Don’t forget to tell her, too. You wouldn’t want to paint the town in your tuxedo while she’s in her shorts, sneakers, and tank top.
2 - Be on time.
Being late is being a jerk. You should never be late for any kind of appointment, most especially on dates, unless you have a good reason (and no, rush hour traffic is NOT a good reason). If you do, you should call and inform her of your delay.
Keeping her waiting in her house is bad enough, making her sit alone in a restaurant is far worse, and letting her fester in a street corner is the most horrible thing you can do.
3 - Make it special.
Special doesn’t mean expensive, nor elaborate, nor complicated. Make it special for her. Plan something that will rock her world, something she’ll remember for a long time.
The trick is knowing what she’s into, or maybe something she’s been wanting to go to or do for a long time, and then try to make it happen. It could be a concert, a special movie screening, or maybe a play. Double the fun if you’re also into what she wants but seeing her overjoyed beyond words is usually enough to make you feel fulfilled.
4 - Talk and listen.
We’ve all been told that we should be good listeners, and while that’s true, it should be said that we should also be good talkers.
You’re on a date with her because you’re interested in her, so let it show. She’s with you so she must be interested in you, too. Ask her all the details about her that you’ve been dying to know and she’ll most likely be happy to fill you in. Steer clear of the sensitive stuff though, such as sex and family matters, unless she volunteers the info and you're sure she’s okay with sharing.
In return, you should also tell her what she wants to know about you, and kindly let her know if you’re not comfortable sharing something she’s asking about.
It’s in these sharing of stories that people become comfortable and close, and the more you share, the closer you get.
5 - Be yourself.
We’ve seen it too many times in those old romantic comedies-- people acting like they’re someone else on a date: trying to look cool, pretending to be rich, acting like they’re knowledgeable; in other words, pretending to be something they’re not.
We all know how badly those scenarios turn out when the girls discover their ruse, so the obvious message is that you shouldn’t do it in real life. Just be yourself. It’s the easiest thing to do, and there’s nothing like the great feeling you would have when you discover that she likes you for the way you are.
6 - Understand her limitations.
Yes, this is mainly about sex. Hooray if you both want to do it. Don’t force her if she doesn’t. Be polite in explaining if you don’t want to do it and she does (though this scenario rarely happens).
This is also about her other limitations: be sure to take her home before her curfew, don’t give her too much alcohol if she can’t handle it (even if she wants to), don’t let her drive if she doesn’t have a license, know her allergies so you wouldn’t have to take her to the ER, and don’t make her walk long distances if she’s wearing heels.
7 - Don’t get too crazy.
Let loose, have an awesome time, get crazy.
But not too crazy.
Like the old sayings go: quit while you’re ahead and leave her wanting more. It’s really hard to say what’s okay and what qualifies as too crazy because we all have different standards, different situations, and different ages. But perhaps it’s safe to say that we can go all out as long as nobody gets hurt.
8 - Call her again.
No matter how the date went, you should call her after, or at least text her. That’s the polite thing to do. Thank her for taking the time to go out with you, and if your heart so desires, ask if you can go out with her again.
If she agrees, your next date will most probably be better than the previous one. If she declines, be gracious in accepting her decision, and set your sights to your wide open romantic future.