9 Women Explain The "Rules" They Follow On First Dates

Don't text first. Don't text too much. Don't talk too much. Don't be too demanding. Don't... The list of "rules" women are told to follow on first dates goes on and on, but the intention behind the rules is almost always the same. Usually, these guidelines are set up so women (typically, straight women) don't seem too clingy or too bossy to their dates.

Once you start thinking about the rules, it's pretty clear that they're BS. Actively trying not to be clingy does nothing more than make someone more anxious about an already nerve-wracking situation (and also keeps them from being their true selves). So lots of women have decided to ditch these rules, and make their own first date guidelines, because the only rules that really count are the ones we make for ourselves.

Ahead, nine women share the rules they choose to follow when they go on first dates, and why these rules are so important to them. The takeaway? Women are more worried about staying safe than they are about being clingy.