Although there are no official rules of dating, there are some dating etiquette tips you need to be mindful of. These dating dos and don’ts vary according to your age, the type of dating you are interested in and also whether you are dating online or through a matchmaker service.

Dating Dos

• Do keep an open-minded attitude and be confident. First impressions matter and exuding confidence is always an enticing attitude.
• Do try to meet partners in places you enjoy going to. This will ensure that you will have at least a common activity that you both like.
• Have a strategy in mind –- look for features and traits that you know you like. Establish a list of “no-no’s” that you will not tolerate. This will help you avoid hopelessly trying to like someone you actually do not.
• Be engaged and try to communicate with your date, while also being mindful of not going over personal issues your date might not yet be comfortable to share.

Dating Don’ts

• While first impressions are important, do not judge your date too quickly. Don’t only judge appearance, try to also see what chemistry there is between the two of you in conversation, dinner or at a movie.
• While bars and clubs are fun places to meet people, they are not usually the best places to start dating, especially if you are looking for a relationship, not just casual dating.
• While a strategy is always useful, do not get stuck in a pattern. Be open to new experiences and let your date partners surprise you. Do not have pre-planned questions as that will make any date be more like an interview rather than a personal, enjoyable experience.
• Do not bring up controversial or personal subjects like religion or politics, especially in the first few dates.