Stop panicking! It’s just a date! The worst case scenario for a bad date isn’t even all that bad, it just means you move on to the next person. While it is understandable to have the jitters, there are some pretty hard and fast rules to play by to make sure your date goes better than last night’s nightmares dictated it would. Let’s go over some ground rules, shall we?

Dress to impress – I know that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but how that book presents its cover indicates a little about how much the book cared about going on a date that night. A good smelling book with good hygiene that dressed well will instantly have a page up over the competition.

Be confident – I take it you’ve probably heard this one before, but it’s still the big one. If you’re confident in who you are, that will shine through and impress anyone. You shouldn’t be confident just to impress someone though, you should just generally enjoy and respect being yourself.

Get the conversation flowing – This is where it helps to be an extrovert, although introverts can do it, too. Without seeming overly-excited or self-absorbed, the more words you can get out of your date, the better. If you can get her to laugh, you’re in. Just talk smoothly and in a relaxed tone, and make her feel comfortable answering questions you might throw her way.

Show some teeth – keep a warm smile on your face. A lot of people look like they’re frowning without even noticing, so it’s important to be conscious of what your face looks like.

Show your manners – Basically, don’t be a jerk. Treat someone well, and they’ll treat you well.

Have fun when dating – that’s important too. Keep a winning attitude at all times – and date to win!