"Take Me Out"

     This week's column is dedicated to the guys who, in this day and age, still ask girls out on dates. You are my heroes, and you give me hope. Seriously, I don't understand why guys ever stopped doing this. When did calling a girl up and asking her out on a date turn into a Facebook post saying, "You. Me. Party tonight." Guys asking girls to "hang out" is no better. That is not considered a date, just so we're clear, so let's not even act like that's acceptable either. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with guys and girls just "hanging out" or going to parties together, but it has made our generation settle. Most girls my age, seventeen, have never been asked on a date, because most guys my age have never asked a girl out on a date.
      Yet still, I can't tell you how many guys complain about being "friend zoned." For reference, the friend zone is a place both guys and girls--just for the record--get stuck in when they become friends with someone of the opposite sex but can never turn their friendship into a relationship. The truth is, most of you are stuck in the friend zone because you never did anything about it. Did you ever ask her out on a date? That's what I thought. You see, if someone were to ask me to be their girlfriend, I'd probably pretend I didn't hear him and that my name was called from the other room as I excuse myself and avoid you for a few days. But if someone were to ask me out on a date, as in, "I'd like to take you out on a date some time. What do you say?" Well I say yes, as long as you're a nice guy, what do you have to lose?
      Or there's always the "I'm not looking for a boyfriend right now," which, by the way, is totally plausible, because some of us may be enjoying independence. Guys always think girls are complicated, but not all of us are schemers; some of us actually say what we mean and mean what we say. Don't over analyze everything, fellas, that's our unnecessary job.
     Anyway, back on track: it's just a date. It's two people spending an evening or afternoon together. Dates aren't just for boyfriends and girlfriends. They are for gentlemen and ladies, who may be friends or acquaintances, who enjoy each other's company or want to get to know each other better. The bottom line is, if you are looking to flatter a girl or make her feel special, ask if you may take her out on a date. Trust me, she'll say yes. You're welcome.
Always, Anna