How many dates does it take before people are considered "dating"?

[lilminx]

1? 2? 10?

What's your opinion on it?

 

[LukkyKnight]

Two.

One is a trial. Coming back for more is dating.

 

[Starblayde]

When your friends say:

"Are you going out with your bird again tonight?"

Instead of:

"Are you going out with that bird again tonight?"

 

[ma_guy]

2.. 3 max... What that "dating" means is then between the two. Maybe it's "exclusive dating", maybe it isn't but "dating" implies "more than once" (as opposed to just "a date").

 

[Bob_Bytchin]

When you have exchanged bodily fluids in one way or another, then you are "dating".

 

[deliciously_naughty]

3...


1 is interview

2 is confirmation

3 is affirmation

 

[islandman]

5.

By the fifth date you've spend enough time with each other to know whether to make a go of it or let sleeping dogs lie.

 

[bknight2602]

I'd say three depending on the situation. The first is testing the waters. The second just reinforces or trashes the whole concept. The third is a keeper, at least for a while!

 

[SilvaTungDevil]

I'm gonna' have to go with 17.

 

[littlekateyes]

1? 2? 10?

What's your opinion on it?

I agree on 3, and then you are dating.

 

[RosevilleCAguy]

I've eaten lots of dates. Figs too for that matter.

There does not seem to be any corollation between the number I eat and whether or not people consider me in a relationship.

 

[Fly_On_Wall]

well if you go on a date today and on a second in a month....
no

if you date today then someone tomarrow then the first person again the next day....
no

if you see them alout and aren't actualy going on dates.... your still dateing in my mind.

 

[lilminx]

Intersting responses. For me, it really depends on the person and how comfortable we are with each other.

For instance, I went out on a date with someone last week. At the end of the date, we both knew that we wanted to see each other again, so we made plans. We went out again, and made plans for the third date. Because of the situation, I would have considered us "dating" by the end of the second date. Does that make sense?

Then again, there are some people where I don't consider it dating if we go out 4 or 5 times.

 

[lilminx]

well if you go on a date today and on a second in a month....
no

if you date today then someone tomarrow then the first person again the next day....
no

if you see them alout and aren't actualy going on dates.... your still dateing in my mind.

Wait a minute- are you saying that it's not possible to be dating more than one person at a time? I've dated 3 or 4 guys at a time, and considered it all "dating".

 

[Fly_On_Wall]

Wait a minute- are you saying that it's not possible to be dating more than one person at a time? I've dated 3 or 4 guys at a time, and considered it all "dating".

okay you can date more then one person at once.
but in my mind you cna't have a relationship wiht more then one person at the same time, not unless it's a mutual thing,

3 people can be a couple.

 

[Guest]

It's been a while since I dated but...

 

[Star of Penumbra]

Four.

 

[snoozebutton]

Your officially dating when she asks, "what are we doing tonight?"

 

[MorgaineLaFay]

I think it totally depends on the designs of the relationship. I've gone out with a few men, dozens of times. And I would never consider us dating. Even though a great time is had by all everytime, and we continue to make following dates...Still, not what I would consider 'dating material'

 

[Aquila]

The minute, her shit starts somehow appearing in your apartment. and the minute she for some inexplicable reason sprays you once with her perfume before you go out in public.. yeah thats when your dating.

 

[patient1]

Two.

One is a trial. Coming back for more is dating.

What he said.

 

[ksmybuttons]

I've eaten lots of dates. Figs too for that matter.

There does not seem to be any corollation between the number I eat and whether or not people consider me in a relationship.

There is a correlation in their laxative effect.

 

[christo]

I don't think there's an exact figure of dates that would qualify a couple as "dating", but there is an exact figure that connotes serious interest. That figure is three. Let me expound upon this.

Why am I talking like my moron high school English teacher? Need another beer.

OK, three dates is the key. The first date, hell, if you're single you'll go out with a multiple felon with dueling scars and webbed feet. Why not, what else are you going to do on your Saturday nights, make pompous declarations on porn sites?

Let's say the date was a total disaster. The other person's appearance, politics and hygiene utterly disgust you. You might still go on a second date with this person, just out of politeness. Maybe the horrible creature is a friend of a friend, or your boss's son/daughter, or someone you owe money to. You can't just go on one date and end it there, else you cause problems more irritating than a second date would be. Everyone pesters you, "What's WRONG with her" they whine, and "You just caught him on a bad night!" And so, working under this pressure, you go on a second date.

But after date #2 you have fulfilled your obligations. You have shown yourself to be a person of manners, you've given him/her the chance to wear a different outfit, choose a different perfume, put the silk suit in the closet. By agreeing to go on a second date you've allowed the other person to maintain their dignity, and that's always good for your karma. At this point it's perfectly acceptable to say you're not really interested. The other person might be disappointed, but they won't have the humiliation of getting dumped after one date, or the heartache of a breakup after three.

The third date is the big one. When you go on a third date, both parties are in effect stating, "You are someone I could conceive having sexual intercourse with". Both of you had the chance to walk away, but neither of you did. You can't blame this date on anyone else. On date #3, you're on your own hook.

As you might have guessed, I've gone on quite a few second dates in my life, and not so many third dates.

 

[LukkyKnight]

Starblayde has the best non-numeric answer, IMHO.

The minute, her shit starts somehow appearing in your apartment. and the minute she for some inexplicable reason sprays you once with her perfume before you go out in public.. yeah thats when your dating.

Dude, I have dated many women and only had that "shit starts appearing" thing happen once, and NEVER been sprayed with perfume. When a woman wants to let others know you're taken she will do your laundry, complete with fabric softener. Fabric softener is the smell that alerts them that you're not as single as you're pretending to be, because no single man uses it.

 

[cybergirly]

Re: Starblayde has the best non-numeric answer, IMHO.

Dude, I have dated many women and only had that "shit starts appearing" thing happen once, and NEVER been sprayed with perfume. When a woman wants to let others know you're taken she will do your laundry, complete with fabric softener. Fabric softener is the smell that alerts them that you're not as single as you're pretending to be, because no single man uses it.

Doh...

That's suppose to be a secret.

Seriously, isin't it just as likely that when a woman starts doing your laundry it's because you're leaving it at her house?

To answer the original question of the thread: I'm with everyone else here, in general the answer would be 3.