Dates are ridiculously stressful affairs fuelled by the constant questions whirling around in your head: “Do I like you?” “Are you into me?” “Is there something in my teeth?” And the anxiety is only heightened by the awareness that a few wrong moves could spell game over. Goodbye potential soul mate. So how do you become a master dater? With a few tips from Cosmo of course.

How to be an awesome date:

Tell a good tale. Have a funny and maybe a little embarrassing story you can use as an ice breaker.

Make up your mind. Don’t “um” and “ah” about what you want to eat for hours or seem overly fussy (“I don’t eat anthing that’s come from the sea or land, except for turkey breast and I only eat vegetables that are green” – you get the picture!. Your dinner buddy is going to envision every dinner being a struggle thereafter. Don’t be a princess, eat up!

Don’t be a bossy boots, but make a decision if he throws the ball in your court. If you’re happy to go with the flow, that’s one thing; but if he asks what you want, don’t just waffle. It’s not cute to simper and be all “I don’t knooooow”. You have a brain in your head, prove it by using it.

Listen. You’re not filming This Is Your Life. A good conversationalist (and date) knows how to listen. Note: there is a difference between listening for the opportunity to jump in and genuinely taking in what your date is saying. Aim for the latter, prove show you are genuinely interested in what he has to say.

Ask as many questions as you answer. An addendum to the above, this is a great rule for helping you strike a balance.

Find common ground. If conversation stalls, look for mutual interests, whether it’s books, movies or Siamese cats.

Curl your hair. People with curly hair come off as more easy-going and care-free. It doesn’t hurt to come across more approachable on the first meet-up, right?

Don’t talk about the Ex. Seriously, not one word. Zip it!

If you don’t know anything about a topic, don’t pretend you do. It will only backfire later and make you feel like an idiot and look like a liar.

Don’t get too drunk. Getting messy isn’t attractive behaviour and you will be far less charming than you think.

Don’t get too loud. If you’re nervous don’t overcompensate by being too gregarious. You want to aim for fun-loving, not rowdy.