10 Commandments.

As an assignment for my Honors 201 class as we study the Old Testament, we had to write our own ten commandments. I decided I'd put my own spin on the ever cliche first date rules. I wrote this in 30 minutes, but I love the way it turned out regardless. Enjoy!

1. Thou shall be on time.

This is absolutely crucial. In fact, you should not only be on time, but you should be at least five minutes early. The person you’re going on the date with is already going to be anxious enough; showing up late will have them sweating bullets. So, if you have any interest at all in your fellow dater, you will do them the common courtesy of respecting the time the two of you decided on. If you have some sort of car trouble and absolutely MUST be late, call them. Let them know that you’re not leaving them hanging on purpose. It’s only polite, and you’d want the same courtesy.

2. Thou shall look decent, smell nice, and dress for the occasion.

It’s as easy as this: shower at least 24 hours before the date, and make sure the clothes you wear are clean, neat, and free of holes. This isn’t a lot to ask, and will definitely go over much better with your date than if you showed up looking like you were taking them panhandling. This by no means is to suggest that you should cake on the cologne or perfume, or wear layers of makeup. Dress nicely, but not overly so, like it says, for the occasion. No guy wants a girl with a faceful of heavy clown makeup, and no girl wants her guy to show up smelling like he bathed in aftershave. Moderation is key.

3. Thou shall let the boy be a gentleman.

I know this may seem like it doesn’t need to be said, that most of you are probably thinking a big, loud DUH. However, it’s a lot more common than it seems. Don’t hurry to the door before him if he seems to be eager to hold it open for you. Guys really do enjoy showing the public that you’re their date, contrary to popular belief. Don’t pretend like you want to pay or ask how much you owe him if he takes the bill, instead, say thank you and make it known that you appreciate their thoughtfulness. Don’t EXPECT these things of your guy; instead allow them to surprise you. It’ll keep the both of you smiling.

4. Thou shall be yourself.

This is a dating cliché. Everyone says it, and almost no one does it on the first date. Instead of pretending to like his favorite band or looking up his favorite team on Wikipedia and memorizing the stats, don’t pretend to be an expert. He’ll get a kick out of telling you all about his favorite things, and you can in turn fill him in on yours. Respecting your date’s interests doesn’t mean making them your own. You don’t want to date yourself; that’s the reason why you’re out with someone else. So let them be different from you, and embrace all that you have to learn from each other.

5. Thou shall not be an expensive date.

If a guy takes you out, most likely, they’re going to pay. It’s just the way things go. This is very kind of him; so in return, do NOT go all out. I’m not telling you to order a side salad and water and starve, however, you should never find it appropriate to order filet mignon, dessert, an expensive drink, and so on. Keep it simple. Again, moderation is your best friend here.

6. Thou shall not reveal your entire life story.

If you have any intention at all of creating a relationship from this first date, I am begging you to show a little mystery. Obviously, there’s a lot to cover on the first date, and you’re bound to end up talking about your family, friends, and some funny stories along the way. Don’t get into your deepest secrets, or tell them things you’d only entrust to a best friend. In a successful relationship, you learn something new about your partner everyday. If you tell them almost everything there is to know on the first date, what’s the use in pursuing you? Take your time introducing them to your life.

7. Thou shall ask thy date questions about themselves.

This goes hand in hand with the last one. As opposed to talking about yourself the whole date, ask your date about themselves: who their friends are, what they like to do on the weekends, all the basics. These will lead to tangents, fun facts, and stories that will have both of you in stitches. In this way, you can both get to know each other equally.

8. Thou shall not text while on the date.

Period. AT ALL. Not even a quick text under the table to your best friend telling her how hot he is. Texting or talking on the phone while with someone is like saying you’d rather be anywhere but there with them. They should be your only designation for attention, and you should be focused on getting to know them. You can’t do this if you’re carrying on a text conversation as well. Put that phone away in your purse and turn it on silent. You won’t regret it.

9. Thou shall not be gross.

Sometimes I’m sorry this even has to be said. Just like you should bathe and look nice for the date, you should also use the basic manners you learned as a kindergarten student. Don’t be rude to waiters or attendants of any kind, chew with your mouth closed, and if you must burp, at least say excuse me. Try to hold in any gas until you’re a little more comfortable around each other, and take smaller bites of food. You don’t want to turn someone away simply because you looked like a caveman when you were stuffing your face. It’s okay to talk between bites and pace yourself.

10. Thou shall not be clingy after just one date.

Just as you should keep your mystery on the first date, you should also not throw yourself in headfirst when the date is over. No matter how well it went, no one is going to like being called every couple hours just to talk. There’s no harm in sending them nice texts or calling them a few times a week, as this will help you to better get to know them. Keep asking questions, but don’t get too personal too fast. Dating is a game, whether we like it or not, and it takes time to play it out. Even if your heart bursts at the mere sound of their name, keep your head on your shoulders. Infatuation is hard to hold in, so let it drive you, but don’t let it take you over.