People need to observe dating rules

I recently went on a terrible date. The guy was late, forgot his wallet, monopolized the conversation and brought up political opinions very different from my own all over the course of the first hour.

After paying the $40 dinner tab, I left the restaurant wondering where all the gentlemen in the world have gone.

There are plenty of men who are raised to be polite and respectful toward women; they open doors and know how to speak appropriately to women.

Unfortunately, this type of man seems to be a deteriorating breed.

Conversely, many women expect men to spend endless amounts of money catering to their every whim and need, regardless of the man’s financial situation.

As society progresses toward equality between the sexes, the gender boundary lines are becoming increasingly blurry, as do expectations of men and women in the dating world.

For many people, the dating world is a daunting place. People who are single want to be dating, people who are dating want to be single and those who are married are just happy to be out of it all together.

It’s a world of complicated rules no one knows, made only more complicated by the fact that traditional expectations of men and women aren’t in place anymore.

Many people disagree on certain key factors in the dating world, such as when it’s appropriate to sleep with another person, or how soon and often to contact someone. There are some things, however, that nearly everyone agrees on.

The rules of chivalry apply to each and every dating situation; politeness is key to successful romantic encounters.

Men are expected to open doors for women, pull their chairs out and walk them to the door at night. Women are expected to express gratitude for the effort a man puts into a date.

Being open and conversational are also necessary. As with any social situation, one needs to put their cell phone away and stay positive throughout the course of the date. Bringing in the baggage of past failed relationships or the gloomy frown from a failed test will get you nowhere.

When it comes to who is expected to pay on the first date, opinions vary.

But in a survey conducted by dating services FastLife and Lavalife of more than 400 singles, it was found that 66 percent of women expect men to pay on the first date.

Men, regardless of what you believe, understand that most women are expecting you to pay up on the first date; doing so will work in your favor. Women like confident men, and no matter how outwardly feminist they may seem, most like to be treated like a princess.

Women, you need to understand that being rude, whining and complaining will get you nowhere. Men are simply turned off when a woman is negative throughout the course of a date.

Beyond these rules of the game, the only way to make it to the finish line is to dwell on past experiences, remember the rules of basic social interaction and follow your heart.

If you heed this advice, you’re at least guaranteed to not have the horrid details of your bad date in the University newspaper, at the very least.

Liz Price is a communication junior and may be reached at [email protected]