by Jennifer Eblin

Created on: March 03, 2008

Remember the days when a man did the asking, and planning for a date? It was the man's responsibility to decide what location was best, and find something that everyone can be happy about doing. Those days are long gone now. Not only can women do the asking, but they can plan that first date too. The planning might be the tricky part.

A first date sets the tone for all things to come. How many times have you heard a friend saying that she knew he was "the one" on their first date? Yes you might hear a few stories of people who had a disastrous first date then went on to have a long lasting relationship, but those stories are few and far between. If you want to have a great first date, you need something that will knock his socks off.

The first date is a learning opportunity, the chance to get to know that person better and see if there is any chemistry there. Planning a first date that heads to the movie, or a crowded bar is a bad choice because you'll be so busy trying to scream over the noise that you can barely see the other person. The odds of getting to know that person drop dramatically.

Planning a good first date should showcase your likes and dislikes, to give that special guy an insight into your own life and the kind of person you are. Far too many women make the mistake of taking their date to a high class restaurant, or a fancy art gallery opening. If that's where your interests lie, then by all means take your date there. If you take a more low key, and down home approach to life, then plan something a little more relaxed.

Prior to planning your date, it might be wise to find out what your guy is into, and try to incorporate that into the date. A guy who loves auto racing will love a date at the local dirt track, and a guy who works with kids might love a date at an amusement park. If you can show him that you can have fun in his environment, then he might start thinking about the future, and letting you into his life.

The important thing to remember is that you should start planning that first date as soon as possible. If you wait until the last minute you might discover that your options are fairly limited, and you may miss out on some great things to see and do. Plus by planning ahead of time you skip that awkward "what do you want to do-no, what do you want to do" phase.

When a woman takes the initiative to plan the first date, it shows the man just how special she thinks he is. He's had his share of dates where he was forced to plan everything, and he'll be excited to have some of the pressure taken off of him. It also shows that you're a woman who knows what she wants, and there's nothing sexier than that.

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