'The' dating rule

Be punctual. Leave your house early and make room for any last minute blips that may creep up. Girls don't like to be kept waiting.

Plan your day, but be open to her views as well

Dress elegantly. Look neither too cool nor overtly formal. Be tidy and smell good. Be courteous.

Pick your date from her house. And don't forget to ask for directions so that you are able to reach there in time

Buying flowers for her is a good way to strike the right note. If the date went off well, you may get the flowers delivered to your lady's house the next day.

Don't walk in front of your date. Either walk besides her or a step behind. It's nothing to do with ego. It's not good manners to show your back to someone you are with.

Pull the chair for her and wait for her to sit. Remember etiquette is much appreciated. . In the same vein, open the car door for her. It's better if you can wait for her to sit and then close the door. Then see if she is considerate enough to reach out and open the door for you.

Greet her with a firm but gentle handshake, and a smile. Maintain eye contact, but don't stare.

Don't let the focus of the conversation be "I, me and myself". Ask about your date's interests, likes et al. Try to know her. But don't ask personal and probing questions if it's the first date.

Learn to compliment. Don't keep your upper lip stiff. Learn to smile and crack jokes.

Dating tips for Girls 

Don't believe 'everything' you hear or all that you see because if you are old enough to date then you should be old enough to know - everything that glitters is not gold.

Now that doesn't mean that you should go for a date with 'distrust' written all over you - leave your righteousness at home, but carry your common sense with you. Loosen up, be friendly and enjoy yourself (after all that's the sole purpose of spending time together).

Go beyond the gloss - be yourself, don't spend the time discussing the weather and smiling at each other. By the end of the day, if all you know about him is his name and the number of teeth he could possibly have, then you're destined to be perfect strangers forever. So the key word is 'communicate', share your interests. If you vibe well and you can strike up a lively discussion, then the date hasn't been wasted - you've gained a friend. 

Good manners aren't just for school but for life - Be polite and appreciative - courtesy is cool - everyone appreciates it. (If he doesn't, what more can we say? The ultimate decision is yours and of course 'taming the barbarian' is a challenge that some of us just can't resist. 

The golden maxim girls: 'never date more than one guy at a time' is sad but so true. If they turn out to be friends, you're in trouble - if they're enemies, you're in trouble, apart from this coincidental hazard there can be practical hitches too - it can be totally confusing at times - mixing up dates, interests, names - it only gets worse.

If a person who doesn't exactly look like a Greek God, seems to be a good guy and is fun to be with, give him a break, a chance. You always have an option 'have fun with an intellectually stimulating partner' or learn to place a dumb Greek God on a pedestal and worship him. 

Talk to his friends nicely when he introduces them to you, make him feel proud of you. Don't ever criticize him in front of his friends. 

If he asks you about your interests and your life, it does not mean that you give him your family tree. For he does not intend to chronicle your family history. Find some mutual interests, ask him his opinion, listen to his comments. If he commences on his family saga, it is fine if you're interested but if you're not - just don't yawn in his face. Try and change the topic, if it doesn't work, grin and bear it.

If he bristles every time you mention your friends who happen to be boys or glares at you when you smile at that goodlooking neighbour, imagine the kind of life you're going to share and if you value your independence, well you know your priorities.

If he criticizes your choice of food or clothes, then this one is a definite 'No go'. After you've decided to accept him as he is, if he is still concentrating on what you should wear to please him, you're going to end up with a nag if you don't take care.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying yourself, just don't drink too much. You might end up with a headache and a possible heartache the next morning.

Honesty is the name of the game. If the person is genuine enough he is going to appreciate an honest conversation. Fake foundations tend to crumble in the long run. Lies or false appearances aren't going to lead you anywhere because romance thrives on trust.