First choice? Definitely not.

One Friday evening, you're sitting in the living room with your roommate Tabitha. Your roommate Kate had just gone to bed. There's a tap on the door, only to have the neighborhood creeper, Matt, walk in. Not that he's intentionally creepy...he's socially impaired. Dreading the worst, you finally pull the reason why he's mumbling on your couch. Date. He wants one. With Kate, thank goodness. However, Kate has been fighting a cough for the last month and a half, she had a very rough week, and she has work at 5 am the next morning. You shoo him off, letting him know she's asleep and to try back later. For the date he wants to go on tomorrow.

Fast forward.

Saturday, 5 pm. You and Kate are sitting in a friend's apartment, watching your favorite sports team win with style. Kate's phone goes off. Who do you think it is? Matt, of course. She politely declines the invitation. She's sick. You know.

Horror of horrors.... your phone goes off. You open it..... Matt. Shoot. Shoot, shoot, shoot.

Hello? He stumbles through a question about Kate and if she really is sick. Yes, yes she is. Then, he blunders his way through telling you he still needs someone for seven. Do you have plans? Yes. You do. Feeble ones created on the spot. He almost pleads... so FINE. You'll go. Even though you're obviously second choice, even to the most socially awkward fellow you can think of on the spot, even though he was seeking your ROOMMATE moments earlier, fine. You'll go.

Cue feeling lame.

He picks you up two hours and ten minutes later. Over the course of the date, he talks on the phone, he doesn't open the door for you, he almost doesn't pay for you, and when he does, it's in the most awkward fashion possible... conversation doesn't happen, and he keeps talking about how much he wants the date to be over, but due to the group nature of the date, he can't get you home. When you tell him an hour and a half into the date that you need to be home soon, he drops you off two hours later. This isn't for lack of trying. Sure, you didn't want to go on the date. Yes, you were asked in a fairly terrible manner, but you try to make it a positive experience. Finally, you just stop trying. You're too tired, too stressed, too hormonal to even give it an attempt anymore.

Rachel's tip for dating:

Treat the girl well. If you don't make an effort to make a girl feel special, the chances of her liking you drop significantly. At the very least, make an effort. Ask her out a few days in advance. This way, she'll have time to get excited and plan. Also, she'll feel more like you want to spend time with her and less like a last minute replacement.

Then, you go home and have pizza therapy and watch bad men die in terrible ways. And swear off dating.

Best wishes, Rachel

And So It Begins...

The night you have been waiting for all week is finally here, the night of your date. As you finish getting ready, you hear a familiar tune being tapped on the front door and one of your roommates rushes to answer it before you have the chance to scurry off with the mysterious visitor on the other side. After that darn doorstep scene at the end of the date, you enter the apartment to be bombarded by questions about the status of your evening. Through the laughter, and sometimes tears, the story of your date unfolds for all nearby to hear. Over the next few days, everyone you encounter hears of that night and are able to share in your pain, or joy, about the events of that one fateful evening.

Well, this is how it goes for me in my dating and social life. One night after sharing experiences with friends, we thought it would be fun to start sharing the stories of these fun nights and strange encounters with you, the Internet audience. Heck, if you can't laugh and share about some of these situations, they are not even worth going through! And we figured it would also be a good place to vent about the frustrating process we call dating, which sometimes gets to be a little ridiculous. Or a lot. So go ahead - read on, laugh loud, and enjoy!

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Date Tip: Do NOT ask someone out via text. We all know that texting is the less stressful way of talking to someone, but seriously, it's just taking the easy way out when it comes to dating. And it’s kinda lame. Just get up the courage and call them. I absolutely HATE talking on the phone and understand this temptation, but if you are wanting to ask someone out and get to know them, step out of your comfort zone for a quick minute and just talk. You're going to have to talk to them on your date anyway, right??

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So this week I was asked out by this guy, via text [hence the above venting], to attend a cultural event with him, to which I said I would. Friday night finally came, and after too much time studying on campus, I came home to get ready [Random observation - It's snowing again. Grr]. Right on time there was a knock at the door. None of my roommates were home so I answered the door, said hi, grabbed my purse and coat, and left with John*.

We walked out to his car, where he walked directly to his own door, allowing me to open my own door [Maybe I've been a little spoiled with guys opening my car door on dates?]. We drove to the venue and went to the performance, looking at artwork in the lobby area because we were early. There was good conversation, and some laughing in there too [always a necessity]. We watched the performance and then headed back to the car to head home, and he opened the car door for me. [Oh, and he was texting DURING the performance.] We headed back to my place, with him parking the car and walking me up to my door. I absolutely dread doorstep scenes and like them to be over as soon as possible, so after a quick joke and hug, we said goodbye and I headed inside.

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent

[Well, in this case the guilty, but I needed to put in a reference to the cop shows I watch so often.]

So, despite the lack of dating manners, I had a fun time. Maybe it'll be better on the second date... if there is a second date.

Until next time, Robin