Relationships

How To Know If A Girl Likes You In The First Five Minutes

by Alexa Mellardo

First impressions can make or break so many opportunities in life, especially dates.

When meeting a girl, the first five minutes are the most important 300 seconds you will have to show her what you've got. You need to be on your A-game straight out of the gate.

That first convo will determine whether or not she'd like to pursue anything even one second further.

Girls have all "been there, done that." We've been hit on by most walks of life and can usually spot a player or complete tool a mile away. We have the gift of knowing what we want (or at least what we think we're looking for) without wasting your and, more importantly, our time.

If you haven't already noticed, men, girls are very complex…but the laws of attraction are pretty basic. There are several key signs you can spot that will tell you whether or not she's into you.

If you notice or confidently sense most or all of the stages below, chances are you totally crushed it and nailed her attention.

If she's not giving off any of these positive vibes, it's probably not happening. Don't feel bad… there are other babes at the bar. And if that's the case, it's for the best that you both know it upfront instead of dropping money on vodka sodas for her when she's not even interested.

I want to make dating as easy and pain-free as I can for you, guys. Here's how to know if a girl likes you in just the first five minutes of talking to her…

She'll smile at you...like GENUINELY smile.

A girl should be smiling (even subtly) or at least looking happy while you are making a move.

But if she looks like she's about to roll her eyes at your utter existence or her cheekbones look like she has Botox from smiling TOO hard, back away fast… the odds are not in your favor (or she's just a total bitch).

A real smile is pretty difficult for most girls to fake. If she thinks you're hot, she will probably smile when you start talking and laugh at your jokes because she actually thinks they're funny, but don't mistake good manners for her wanting to get to know you better.

There is a definite difference between "I'm just trying to be nice, but I'm really not interested…go away," and "Hot damn, you're fine… let's take it up a notch."

If you're unsure which smile she has, move on to critical stage #2.

She'll make direct eye contact.

This is a good sign, guys. If a girl is feeling you, she will look right at you like you're the only other guy in the room.

We can usually tell a lot by looking into your baby blues (or sexy browns). If we aren't looking into your eyes, we probably don't care to see what's in them.

You can learn a great deal by looking into her eyes, too. Men's Health says her pupils will dilate if you are stimulating her socially. When something is exciting to look at, our bodies react.

The look may be subtle, but if she seems happy and her eyes are dilated, you can check #2 off of your list.

Her body language will be all about positive vibes.

When you approach a girl who wants to get to know you more, she'll seem relaxed and comfortable.

If she doesn't make an effort to turn fully away from her squad to talk, it's time to face the cold, hard facts: Chances are she'd rather be spending time with her friends.

A natural chemistry should be obvious to both of you if she likes what she sees in front of her.

Here's a hint, men: If she's tense with arms folded and legs crossed, your charm is probably not working on this one…so accept the loss with dignity. At least you put yourself out there, right?

She will subtly check out your entire package.

No, not THAT package.

It will be easy to tell if she is really looking at you. She shouldn't look at you the same routine way she looks at her phone when she's scanning through her texts.

But if she really looks at you, things are promising. What I mean is, make sure she isn't looking just to the side at the hot dude standing behind you at the bar.

Checking you out and trying to get a good picture of what you are all about is a good sign.

Let me tell you another little secret: If you happen to notice her looking at you when she thinks you don't know it, you really caught her attention.

She might be a little awkward at first, but that's not a bad thing.

A bit of awkwardness can actually be totally normal. Don't mistake this for a negative sign and give up right away.

If you're really sexy, and she's definitely into you, it's possible that you are making her nervous.

Nerves can actually be a great thing, guys! If this is the case, it will be the kind of awkwardness that you will laugh over down the road. So relax, it probably means you're hot.

In most cases, if she is attracted to you, she will make you feel comfortable.

She'll give off a sense of approval.

If she's not interested, she won't want to lead you on.

She'll size you up and know within the first glance and your first conversation whether or not you passed.

It's possible she will try to control her excitement as not to let her guard down too quickly. This doesn't mean she's not impressed; she's acting cool, calm and collective…but may be freaking out on the inside.

She'll really pay attention to details.

This means she's not checking emails, texting her friends or waving across the room to people she knows. And she certainly did not pull the line that she had to "use the bathroom" in attempts to run for the hills like she did with the last guy.

She is really listening to what you have to say because she doesn't want to miss any details. She is observing carefully and taking mental notes. She will notice your teeth, your smile, your sense of style, what you say and how you say it, whether or not you offer to buy her a drink and pull out a chair for her if necessary.

Oh, and she will notice the condition and choice of your shoes. I don't know why -- it's just a girl thing.

She'll try to find out more about you.

This is tough because she doesn't want to appear like a nosy stalker diving right into your personal life.

But if she doesn't really know you and hopes to pursue something, she will want to do a quick check to make sure you are what you appear to be at first glance. This is not psycho crazy bitch girl behavior; it's simply just a precautionary measure.

She will want to know the basics. Status, what you do, where you live. They may seem like dumb/boring questions, but we are not just listening to the answers.

We're looking at your eyes when you say, “I'm single,” to make sure we actually believe you, or think you're full of sh*t. We're gaining a sense of what you're all about. It shows us how you talk, whether or not you are a bragger and how confident you are.

You might be taken aback at first, but you should know that this step is a really good sign.

She'll casually drop a little personal information.

If she's into you, she will make sure you know she is available. She will give you just enough information about her to pique your interest, but not too much at this point in case you turn out to be a loser, freak or complete stage-five clinger.

She wouldn't let you know where she'll be if she didn't want you to possibly meet up with her. But it's up to you to follow, boys.

So there you go! This isn't rocket science after all. Once you master this list, you will easily recognize her signs.

But overall, follow your gut instinct. If things feel like they are going well, they probably are. When something just doesn't seem to click, it's most likely not meant to click.

Remember, you only get one shot at a first impression.