Self-proclaimed dating expert shares long list of first date rules that she expects men to follow

There are certain universal rules around first dates that we all know. Be on your best behaviour, don’t be more than a couple of minutes late and don’t spend the night scrolling through social media.

Podcast host and YouTuber Brooke Miccio has a couple of more specific rules when it comes to courtship which means that men who fancy taking the TikToker out for a date have a lot more work to do.

The 24-year-old said she feels like she’s a “seasoned pro” when it comes to first dates as she shared her rules.

She is 5 foot 7 and although she expects men to add a couple of inches to their height on dating apps, she wears high-heels to see if they are outright lying about their stature.

She said: "It’s just embarrassing if I show up in two-inch heels and we’re the same height. Like you’re lying about something somewhere."

The next point she shares is that she always arrives between three and five minutes late so the man will already be seated at the table.

She also said, as she keeps her profiles ambiguous, that she expects people to look her up and finds it odd when people don’t admit to doing some research before the date.

“Just say it! It’s so obvious sometimes,” she said. “Honestly I looked you up so it’s fine. I would rather you looked me up to know I’m not a serial killer.”

Next, she has a strict no food rule on the first date. Why? Because if things don’t go well, you’re trapped with them until the meal is finished.

Although it’s easy to linger, especially if you’re having a good time, a first date should not be longer than two and a half hours, she said.

The man should also expect to keep his wallet at hand. “I’m going to say it, especially for the first date if you’re trying to court a woman, the guy has to pay. I’m going to offer, obviously, but it’s a test,” she laughed.

She will also expect the guy to tell her his birthday, and ideally his birth time “because I need to go home and do my research.” By getting someone’s birth time and place of birth, you’re able to generate someone’s astrology chart to see if a future together truly is written in the star or not.

When it comes to kissing on a first date? She’s not a fan generally but, if the moment’s there, it’s “less awkward” to kiss sitting down rather than standing up.

“There is basically nothing I hate more than having my hand held. I don’t like to hold hands, do not try to hold my hand,” she added.

Lastly, the guy must text her to make sure she got home safely after the date “otherwise I’m going to think that you hate me and you had a terrible time.”

She added: “Also it’s the polite thing to do, like you’re sending a lady home on the streets. To be like ‘hey did you get home safe’ or ‘hey had a great time’ - check in with me first.”

Most importantly, she said: “We’re just going to go and have fun, that’s what I like to say, let’s have a good time.”

In the comments section, one user wrote: “To be honest this is fair, like yea it’s a lot of ‘rules’ but it’s literally a stranger you’re meeting up with, of course there’s gonna be some rules and stuff.”

Another said: “Summary: we wish men had more common sense”.

Miccio said she was inspired by the rules made by another TikToker, @thejarr, who regularly creates “rule” videos to help her and her audience plan their calendars:

Although she said he should ask if she got home safely, a TikToker recently sparked debate by saying it was a red flag that the man didn’t wait until she was inside her house before driving away.

Even though each individual has different standards of what they expect from a partner, enjoying yourself and staying safe should be the top rules on any dater’s list.