“What are girls expecting if I ask them out on a date?”

If you think that every girl will answer this the same way, then you are in for disappointment. Girls’ expectations will definitely vary. But here are some common ideas:

• She expects to be treated with respect. This is a given. Some girls appreciate the traditional things like having a door held open for them, but not everyone. All girls, however, should be treated at least as well as you’d treat the most important person in your life, whether that person is a grandmother, a sister, or a friend. You should honest with her, polite, and not say anything mean or degrading. You should value her opinion. Like I said, it should be a given.
• She’s probably expecting you to be able to carry on a conversation. If you are asking to spend time with her, she figures you want to know her a little better, so think of what you want to know and what kinds of questions you could ask to get to know her better. If you are nervous about this part, plan to do something that doesn’t require a lot of face-to-face talking, like putt-putt golf. If all else fails, it gives you something to talk about!
• If you ask a girl “to go out,” most then expect to actually go out. That means having a plan for transportation, and a few ideas about where you’d like to go. It is fine to give her some choices, but it really helps a girl out when you have some idea of where you could go and what you could do, and it shows that you put in some effort.

What she’s not expecting:

• Most girls today don’t expect guys to pay for everything (I always brought my wallet on dates), though some might. If you don’t plan on paying for everything, though, try to let a girl know ahead of time, or come prepared to cover the whole thing if she doesn’t bring her wallet with her. By the way, the easiest way to get around the “who’s paying” dilemma is to go in a group (then it is pretty obvious that everyone has to chip in).
• A relationship. A date is a date, not a commitment. If you ask a girl out, there is no saying whether the two of you will enjoy your time together enough to want to do it again, so don’t worry too much about committing too soon. That being said, one of the most helpful things you can do is be honest with a girl about when she can expect to hear from you again. If you say, “I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” then talk to her the next day. If you never want to go out again, say something polite, but honest: “Thank you for hanging out tonight. It was nice to get to know you a little better.” And then leave it there. Don’t promise something you don’t intend on delivering.