9 Old School Dating Habits That Need To Make A Comeback ASAP
Damn you, Internet! The web has made so many things easier, like video calling your parents to chat, buying useless things from the comfort of your home and looking at photos of women who forgot to put on clothes.
The Internet has also arguably changed modern communication — and not necessarily for the better.
How often have you chatted online with a friend or family member, and in trying to detail something great that happened to you, you send a smiley face?
The Internet and modern technology have also changed dating. While it has certainly made keeping in touch easier, it has also sucked the romance right out of the equation.
Personalized communication is one old-school dating habit that should make a comeback, but what are some of the others?
1. Having a real date
Meeting someone at a bar for the consumption of large amounts of alcohol is practically the standard modern date — but it shouldn’t be. After all, you might be a little nervous, then drink too much and behave in ways that will ensure there to be no second date.
Don’t think too hard; take the classic approach: movie and a dinner. See the movie first, so you have something to talk about after in case you run out of fodder for conversation.
Choose a nice restaurant that doesn’t break the bank, order a nice bottle of wine (just one) and enjoy her company.
2. Talk, talk and more talk
If you know someone’s name, you can quite easily stalk her on social media and discover portions of her life story without her telling you. It shouldn’t be this way.
Get to know each other with long conversations. If the conversation doesn’t flow naturally, it’s a warning sign that she might not be the one for you.
Tell your date about your childhood, your friends and family and what you want to do with your life. Ask her the same questions.
Don’t be arrogant, don’t brag, and while you don’t need to say absolutely everything, you shouldn’t be afraid to let her discover the real you.
3. Staying in touch
It's not that you shouldn’t text, but you shouldn’t use it as your primary means of communication. It’s too easy to grow lazy with texting and you often don’t say everything you want to say, simply because it’s too much of an effort to type it out.
Pick up the phone and call. It doesn’t have to be for a specific purpose; it can simply be because you want to talk and miss the sound of her voice.
4. Pick her up; walk her home
Why meet her somewhere when you can pick her up at home? It’s a little extra effort, but it’s a touching gesture. A polite knock on the door is far more personal than a text that reads, “I’m at the bar, where r u?”
When your date is over, offer to get her home safely. Maybe she’ll give you a goodnight kiss at her front door… just like in the movies! Maybe she’ll invite you upstairs for a “drink”... just like in certain kinds of movies.
5. Gift
You don’t need to shower her with gifts each time you see her, but it’s the little things that make a difference. You might think it’s corny to bring her flowers on the first date, but she won’t.
Once you get to know her better, give her small items that show you’re thinking about her -- perhaps a book you think she might like or a playlist of songs that remind you of her.
6. Look in the mirror
It's often suggested that some people “let themselves go” when they’re in long-term relationships; things like grooming and noticing what you wear tend to fall by the wayside.
Maybe you’ll get to that stage someday, but for now, make an effort with how you look when you’re with her.
Dress nicely, invest in some decent grooming products and style your hair. Making an effort with your appearance shows her that she’s important to you.
7. Give her your undivided attention
Have you ever been hanging out with a friend, only to have him or her simultaneously talking to you while writing a text message every two minutes? It’s incredibly annoying and you might, in fact, be guilty of it, too.
When you’re with a girl you like, she should have your undivided attention. So, your phone should be on silent and the only smiley face around should be when she makes you smile.
8. When the lights go out
Don’t assume that you’ll be sleeping over anytime soon. Some women have no problem going to bed with a guy on the first date, but others prefer to wait. It takes as long as it takes — and that’s her choice. Don’t pressure her and certainly don’t beg.
There is something old-fashioned about waiting before you have sex with someone, but once you finally have an adult sleepover, you should... you know, be good at it. Every guy assumes he's good at sex, but not all of them are correct.
Be attentive to her needs in bed, and if you happen to do something she seems to like, keep doing it!
9. Be honest with your feelings
There’s too much game playing in modern dating. Everyone feels the need to put up his or her guard and be coy with his or her feelings. Why is it like this?
You will probably freak her out if you confess your eternal love for her before dessert has arrived on your first date.
Having said that, there’s nothing wrong with saying something like, “I like you, and I want to get to know you better.” It’s simple and highly effective, and she’ll appreciate it more than you sending her little cute emoticons on Facebook.
