Who pays on first dates in college?

[Oli]

...pretty straightforward. 20 years old. Broke. Guy or split it?

[Bourbon]

I say split it.

[Mark]

Split it.

[Continuum]

If its a date that you invited her out on, I think its always a better move to pay (or at least offer and let her suggest splitting it). I used to be an "only go dutch" advocate, but experience has taught me that the majority of girls really appreciate the gesture and it avoids a long list of potential negative connotations (e.g. cheap, impolite, socially inept, etc.).

Good luck to you man. Just remember that you will always look back on your time in college with more fondness than any other period in your life -- don't half-ass being the social aspects of university life!

P.S. - In fact, the first question many girls ask when gossiping about their first dates is whether or not he paid...its almost as if paying for the girl qualifies the hanging out experience as a "date." I find it to be a ridiculous vestige of centuries past, but girls be crazy.

[zkelvin]

Make the first date something cheap and casual (drinks at a nearby bar or two is ideal). When offering to pay, say something to the effect of, "How about I get this first round and you can get the next round?" This simultaneously avoids both the issues of seeming cheap or seeming supplicating, while also relieving the tension of "who pays?"

Ultimately, you'll be out at most $20 per date. Trust me, you'll blow many multiples of $20 throughout the rest of your life and college. For a first date, good company, a fun experience, and the possibility of sex or a girlfriend, this is one of the best $20 you can spend.

[youregettingitwrong]

If a guy asks me out and does not pay on date number one, there will be no date number two. There are plenty of free things to do while in college or things where you can spend minimal money. Or there is always a walk or go to a park or something free. get creative.