This document provides advice on dating relationships and social health. It discusses appropriate communication levels at different stages of a relationship from first dates to engagement. It also defines intelligent dating as remaining steady through the ups and downs of romance while keeping your own standards, versus brainless dating. The document cautions against societal pressures to pair up or become physical too quickly. It advises readers to set their own boundaries, date in groups for safety, get to know many people while dating in high school for fun and learning, and be wary of relationship red flags like ultimatums, isolation, lies or threats.

1. DATING
RELATIONSHIPS
SOCIAL HEALTH

3. DATING ROLES AND
EXPECTATIONS
Ladies and Gentlemen, now is your
time to make your opinions known…
IN A RESPECTFUL WAY!

4. LEVELS OF
COMMUNICATION
• When you’re going on a first date…
• What things need to be communicated before or on the
date?
• What should we talk about when we are on the date?
• What do I do if we run out of things to talk about?
• When you’re dating someone…
• When you’re engaged…

5. INTELLIGENT DATING
• Intelligent Dating: dating successfully; being selective
about who you date; hanging out and having fun;
remaining steady through the natural highs and lows of
romance; keeping your own standards
• Brainless Dating: dating ineffectively; dating anyone who
has a pulse; becoming centered on your girlfriend or
boyfriend; having your heart broken repeatedly; doing
what everyone else seems to be doing

6. SOCIETY’S THINKING
1. Pair Up: Having a girlfriend or boyfriend is the
only way to be happy.
1. Get Physical: The more you like someone the
more physical you have to get. You can only
show love with your body.

7. MAKE SURE YOU’RE
READY
• Don’t’ feel pressured to start dating at a certain
time
• Date people close to your own age

8. GET TO KNOW A LOT
OF PEOPLE
• Dating is your time to learn what you like and
don’t like for a future partner
• Dating in high school is a time to have fun and
learn/develop social skills
• Don’t be in such a hurry to have a boyfriend or
girlfriend just because “everyone else does.”

9. DATE IN GROUPS
• It’s usually more fun
• There’s safety in numbers
• You’ll meet more people
• There are fewer expectations

10. SET YOUR OWN
BOUNDARIES
• Decide NOW how far you’re willing to go, what’s off limits,
and don’t let ANYONE talk you out of it
• If you haven’t decided beforehand what your boundaries
are, stuff happens you didn’t plan on
• NEVER apologize for having high standards and don’t
ever lower your standards to please someone else
• If you don’t set your own boundaries, someone else will
do it for you!

11. HAVE A PLAN
• Dating is more fun when you have a plan as well as a
backup plan in case things don’t work out
• It DOES NOT have to be expensive
• Cheap yet fun date ideas?

12. RELATIONSHIP RED
FLAGS
Ultimatums
• You’d better do this or
else…
Isolating or controlling
behaviors
Lies
• The basic building block of
relationships = TRUST
“You’ll never find
anyone else who will
love you.”
If you me, I’ll hurt
myself
Severe jealousy or
always having to know
where you are/who
you are with