Is It A Date? Figuring Out The Difference Between Hanging Out And Dating

 Everyone has been in a situation where they are excited to be hanging out with someone new. You might think that this new guy or girl in your life is pretty cute and you’re interested in spending some time together finally. The only issue with this is that you’re unsure what this hangout session is being labeled as. Is this a date? You might think that you would know if it is, but sometimes signals can get crossed, and you’ll be left feeling uncertain.

Is Hanging Out with A Guy Alone A Date?

If you’re wondering whether hanging out with a guy alone is a date, then the answer is that it might be. The problem is that it could also simply be a normal friendly hang-out session. If a guy asked you to do something with him, then you might be curious about if it’s an actual date or if it’s just an everyday thing. You could come right out and ask him, but you might feel too nervous about doing that.

You might feel silly if you ask him whether it’s a date, and he responds by telling you, “of course!” Then again, going into the situation, not feeling sure one way or the other isn’t the best thing. Below, you will examine some information that should help you determine the difference between hanging out and dating. It might help you to clarify the situation that you’re in so that you can react appropriately.

What Are You Doing Together?

What you’re doing together might help you to figure out whether you’re going on a date or not. There are significant differences between just hanging out and dating. When dating vs. hanging out, it’s important to remember that date involves doing something that feels more like a date. If this person is taking you to a nice restaurant, then that feels a lot more like a date than just hanging out.

Conversely, you could be doing something that is somewhat ambiguous. If a guy asks you to go to a movie with him, that could be a date. This is also something that friends do together all the time, though. It might be best to think about what type of movie he is asking you to see. If you’re going to see a romantic comedy, then it might be a date. Horror movies are also popular date movies due to the scares often pushing people closer together.

How Did He Or She Ask You Out?

Another thing to consider is how he or she asked you out on this “date.” If you were asked out fairly nonchalantly, this might make you feel less confident that it is a true date. However, when someone asks you out with a bit of nervousness in their voice, it’s a clear indication that they’re attempting to date you. Did they try to get you alone and ask you if you’d like to go out sometime? This situation seems a lot more like a date than some friendly invitation to hang out.

It isn’t always easy to tell, but you can often figure it out by thinking back to how you were asked out. If the details are fuzzy, then you might have to try to use one of the other methods in this article. Just try to think about how they said things when you were invited out. If it sounded like an invitation to a date, then it likely was.

Does This Person Flirt With You A Lot?

Have you been engaging in flirting with this individual? Although some people like to flirt just because it is a part of their personality, flirting is likely a sign of romantic intentions. If this person is often flirting with you or complimenting you on your looks, then he or she is probably interested in you. Even if they didn’t do a good job of clarifying that this was a date, it seems like someone who likes flirting with you would be more interested in a date than just hanging out.

Hanging out vs. dating is mostly about determining the intentions behind why you’re meeting up. If someone wants to hang out, then they are not interested in you romantically. The flirting is a sign that they are thinking of you in that way. If the flirting is present, then it’s a date.

Is He Or She Single?

Of course, it’s also a good idea to think about whether he or she is single. Sometimes this can lead to confusion as well. If someone who isn’t single asks you to go out with them, then you might assume that it’s meant to be a friendly thing. This isn’t always going to be the case, but it’s more likely that what you were invited to isn’t a real date. If it is a date and the person isn’t single, you might not want to go since it could be roping you into some love triangle situation.

Make sure whether this person is single before you go out with them. If they aren’t single, you should confirm that this is just a friendly thing before agreeing to meet up. You don’t want to get involved in anything romantic with someone who is already attached. That could cause many problems for you, and it simply isn’t worth it. If someone is trying to cheat on their partner, it isn’t good to be anywhere near that situation.

How Is He Or She Acting During The Date?

If you have made it to the date without being sure whether it is a true date or not, you should think about how the person is acting. How this individual acts on the date should help tell you whether he or she is treating it as a date. The body language of the person should show you if they have romantic intentions. Is there a lot of eye contact, and is she playing with her hair? That could be a sign that your “date” is interested in you.

You can also look at how this person is dressed when they’re hanging out with you. If they are dressed casually and didn’t seem to put a lot of effort into their outfit, then it might just be that you’re hanging out. However, if they seem to be dressed up nice, then it’s likely that they’re trying to impress you. You might be out on a date with them if they took the time to wear something special.

It’ll likely become very clear whether or not you’re on a date by the end of the evening. If you’re going out with a guy, he will likely try to pay for everything you did. That’s sort of a social expectation that many men still adhere to even in this modern era. You also might find out that the person you’re spending time with will be trying to determine what to do once the night is at a close.

Many people stand around waiting to get a sign for whether they can give their date a goodnight kiss or not. If you see this person standing near you expectantly after dropping you off at home, then it is likely that they assumed you were out on a date. It’s up to you to decide what to do now, but it certainly would have been better for you to know it was a date ahead of time. After you’ve been out with the person, analyzing the situation to see if it was a date or if it was just hanging out will be simple.

You Can Always Come Out And Ask

Some people might still be unsure about the situation and will have problems figuring everything out. If you have yet to go out with this person and don’t know the expectations, why not just come out and ask them about it? Honestly, this is the best thing that you can do. The worst-case scenario is that the conversation gets somewhat awkward since this person might have assumed that you knew one way or the other. Regardless, it’s important to get things right so that you can know how to act.

In the future, you might want to ask someone if they mean to ask you out on a date as soon as they give you the invitation. It can avoid any mix-ups, and you might feel more comfortable while getting ready for things. Some people are just too nervous about speaking clearly when they’re asking someone out. They might mean to clarify that this is an invitation to a date, but they didn’t say those specific words. Help them out a bit so that you can both avoid disappointment.

Online Couples Counseling Is There If You Hit It Off

If you manage to hit it off after figuring out that you did indeed go on a date, then you can work on developing a strong relationship. Relationships aren’t always easy, and sometimes people need help. If you want to have the best results, relying on online couples’ counselors when things get tough will be smart. They can help couples to work through relationship problems, and they will always be there for you. You can get counseling when you need it, and it’s always a very simple process.

“Sessions with Natalie are very insightful and give practical advice on implementing new habits and changes. Be prepared to engage and be challenged to think in a different way. I know that my partner and I can already see improvements in our relationship and feel more positive about working through our issues together.”

Austa has been wonderful thus far. She has helped my partner and I during an unimaginably difficult time… She has also guided us in communicating effectively and setting appropriate boundaries in our relationship. I was hesitant to pursue counseling at the beginning, but I truly believe that it is making a difference for our relationship. Austa is easy to talk to and she is a great listener. I would wholeheartedly recommend her as a counselor.”

Share this post