We’ve all done some pretty crazy stuff in our lives so far, and let’s face it, the person you want to end up being with has got to take the good with the bad.

But does that mean you should be posting pictures of that “crazy stuff” on your dating profile?

“So…what are you doing Friday night?” It’s an awkward question, one fraught with multiple meanings, eagerness and above all, fear.

Being asked out has a lot of emotions attached to it. First, there’s the flattery. It’s that ‘hey, someone likes me and is asking me out.’ There’s also the surge of happiness—that is, if it comes from someone you like back.

However, there are times when inevitably, someone you’re just not interested in for whatever reason, will ask you out. For those times when you’d rather a giant hole open up in the earth and swallow you alive, use some of the tips mentioned below to stave off a potentially terrible date. It takes class, honesty, and a whole lot of tact to turn down someone respectfully yet firmly. Here are some good ways:

Jaleel seemed like a great guy. He was charming, funny and very ambitious. Everything was going great until the day I heard him talking to his mother on the phone.

He was being so rude and short with her, that I couldn’t believe he was actually talking to his mother. I was a little startled, but I wasn’t sure exactly how to perceive this glimpse into another side of him.

You have met someone special, but now you’re weary of the financial consequences of the courting process. Well, worry not. While the economic climate has forced Arab singles to become thriftier with their finances and affected their spending habits on dates, you can still have an awesome date and show your partner a great time.
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