COLUMN: Guide to asking, taking a woman out on a date

Not-so-gentlemen of USD, rejoice. I have composed a simple guide for how to conduct yourselves properly on a date. You may thank me later.

The first thing you should do before you ask a girl on a date is ask yourself the following question: “Am I interested in her because of her body or her personality?” If the answer is the former, you should go home and rethink your life. If the answer is the latter, proceed to the next section.

Now that you’ve decided on your motivation for asking this girl out, the next step is actually doing it. Since technology has taken over our lives, it’s really easy to resort to a text message or Facebook. It takes a real man to pick up the phone and call a girl. It takes an even braver soul to ask a girl out in person.

If you can work up the nerve to do either of these two things, you will immediately separate yourself from any other guys who may be creeping this girl out with unwanted Facebook messages or inappropriate texts. This is a good thing, so don’t be afraid.

By the way, make sure this girl knows it’s a date. Nothing guarantees a permanent place in the “Friend Zone” like taking a girl out on a date without her knowledge.

Ladies, if a guy works up the nerve to do this, you should say yes. He overcame his fear of rejection just to ask if he can treat you like a lady for an evening. The least you can do is give him a chance.

Once you’ve procured yourself a date, the next thing to consider is the actual date itself. Dinner and a movie is a pretty safe choice. Always have dinner before you go to the movie, just in case your date turns out to be less interesting than you thought. Also, since you asked, it’s customary for you to pay. You should also let the girl pick the movie. It will make her feel special.

When it comes time for the actual date, there are some rules of conduct. First of all, make yourself look presentable. No girl is going to be impressed if you are dressed the same way you would be to play video games with your friends all day. Considering the fact that she is most likely going to try on at least three outfits, putting some effort into your appearance will go a long way.

Second, acting like a gentleman will get you major brownie points. Tell her she looks pretty, hold the door, pull out her chair for her, ask her lots of questions and don’t you dare insinuate that you’re expecting anything at the end of the night.

By the way, ladies, don’t ever give up the goodies on the first date. Nobody goes to the candy shop if they can get it for free. However, you can certainly give this guy a kiss if you feel he earned it.

Best of luck, guys.

Reach columnist Betsey Horton at

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