Some dating habits feel completely normal to men, yet they feel completely different to a lot of women, and not in a good way.
A little too shiny
It’s really weird when a guy flashes money on a date. That’s not to say he can’t take a woman out for a nice dinner or anything, but it’s annoying when a guy keeps going on about the wine’s price, for example.
A guy who acts like his money replaces his personality? That sort of behavior gets pretty boring, pretty quickly. A thoughtfully planned-out date matters way more than an expensive one, and even the data backs it up.
Not-so-funny jokes
Humor’s always a good thing, but there are some guys who take it too far because they turn it into something sexual or rude. They’ll joke about how they’re going home with her and wait for her reaction.
She fake-laughs, and then he moves closer, but if she doesn’t, then she’s too serious. The truth is, she can’t win either way, and most women don’t like having to play along with intense humor on a date.
The badge nobody requested
Some guys feel like they’ve got to keep talking about how they’re good guys, like it actually means something. They say they respect women, great, but their behavior says something different. Good guys don’t have to tell people they’re good.
Their behavior does it all for them, and guys who keep repeating how good they are actually come across as less trustworthy. Keep it to yourself, and remember, actions speak louder than words.
The floating plan
It takes two seconds. Just two seconds, and you’ve confirmed the date, simple as that. But some guys don’t seem to understand that, and they’ll wait until the last possible minute to confirm that they’re still on for the date.
It’s really not fair. You can’t expect a woman to hold space for a plan that may or may not exist, especially when it’s so easy to confirm. Time, place, done, that’s all she needs to know, but a lot of women are struggling to find guys who understand that.
Just seeing what happens
One thing practically everyone can agree on is that a low-pressure first date can be really great, since you can both relax as you get to know each other. But that’s not the same as a no-effort first date. Women know the difference, yet some guys don’t get it.
They think it’s okay not to bother trying hard on that first meeting and to treat it like a vibe check, more than anything. Newsflash, it’s not. You’ve got to try by choosing a nice place and, yes, trying to actually communicate with the other person. It’s not rocket science.
Too sharp too fast
Sarcasm’s one of those things that only really works when you both know where you stand. It’s not great early on. You might think teasing her about some little things is funny, especially since she laughs along, but you can’t jump straight into being sarcastic.
Repeated sarcasm before there’s any trust is more like mockery, and it’s probably going to hurt her. It doesn’t matter that she’s laughing. She might just feel awkward and not want to explain the reasons why. Do you really want to put a woman in that position?
A hand on the door
One kiss is all it takes with some guys, and then they’ll start acting like they’re in a relationship with a woman. Or maybe it’s because she sat close to him. Whatever the reason, some guys assume physical closeness means emotional progress, when, in reality, it doesn’t.
A lot of women prefer to talk about physical boundaries openly, rather than having a guy assume they’ve passed the need for them. Let’s not forget how these boundaries can change, too. It’s perfectly okay for that to happen, yet some guys don’t understand it.
The line machine
A flirty comment is fine. Two is even better. But turning every comment into a wink-wink moment and every interaction into something flirty is annoying behavior. Most women don’t want to be around guys who keep behaving like that because they want something more realistic.
Flirting now and again is okay, but there’s no reason why it should keep happening. That comes off as too aggressive, and honestly, it doesn’t make a woman think of you in a positive light.
One night, all doors
You’d be surprised at how many guys think a single date gives them immediate access to a woman. Things went well once, great, now he’s expecting quick replies and plans over the weekend. One great time doesn’t grant you an open calendar and an open phone.
You’ve got to have the right pace in a relationship and take things steadily. Trying to jump ahead because of one good night isn’t going to help you, and in fact, it’ll probably make things worse between the two of you.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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