So comes that time of year, huh? The time where dances are being planned and prepped for, and everyone seems to be going with someone to the dance, except you. Probably because you don’t have a ‘date’. Well, as the title of this article may suggest, I am going to try and solve these issues by telling you what to do.

Let’s start off with the basics: Gathering information First, you will want to find out if this person already has a date for the dance. However, do not be weird and straightforward ask that, they might think of you as a creep. Be subtle and play it cool. You’ll want to start a basic conversation with this person, and loop it around towards the topic of the dance. Be careful not to come off to strong as you might startle them. Or if you know one of their friends, you could ask them, but be warned: people have quite a tendency to gossip, so they might tell this person that you are wanting to ask.

Next comes the hard part: Asking said person out. Let’s begin with a pretty well-known rule: don’t ask them the day of the dance. It will make them feel rushed, unprepared, and in some cases, as if they weren’t your first choice. When asking a person to a dance, ask anywhere from one or two weeks before the dance. Doing so will give the person time to think about things like what to wear, and also give them time to make plans and schedules.

Next comes the setting, and finally the question. Most people have a tendency to be a little socially awkward, so when asking you want them to feel comfortable or relaxed. So try to find a somewhat secluded area, where there are little to no people (not suspiciously alone though, because you don’t want to appear as a creep). Try a walk or something. Start with small talk, and take your time, for there is no rush; but don’t drag it out for too long that it becomes weird.

Finally, when you’re ready, ask the question. Don’t think it works, or it’s too hard? Well here is an example of success to boost your confidence: Steven Curtsinger quotes a time in where he was asked out, “At first it was a little silly; it was a girl who goes to my church, and we didn’t really know each other that well.  She said, “You should go with me to prom. . . “ I went with her. . .. it was pretty nice.” See it may have been ‘silly’ at first, but he said yes and went with her, and he had a good time. But if you really want good results, then get creative, here’s a few examples like this one from Jensen Adams, “We had an assignment recently: making book spine poetry, and when he had showed me his poem, it was a poem asking me to the dance made from the book titles.” and another fine example of creativity we have Cameron Rigdon who says, “I plan to ask someone out to the dance by getting a huge teddy bear and putting my jacket on it, with a note inside the jacket, asking the question.”

In conclusion, asking someone to a dance isn’t as hard as it looks. All it takes is a little bit of confidence, patience, and sometimes a tad planning. Just have faith in yourself, and remember to take your time. Just have fun and relax, and on that note, I wish you the best of luck!