Dos and Don’ts Of The Doorstep

Dos+and+Donts+Of+The+Doorstep

Jessica John, Student Life Reporter

We’ve all been there. The night is almost over and you’ve either had the time of your life or want to run inside and lock the door. Regardless of how you’re feeling, or how your night went, a lot of people are intimidated by the doorstep because they have no idea what to do or what is expected. Reading your date can be difficult especially if you’re getting mixed signals or don’t know the person very well, but don’t worry! With the help of some fellow Farmington High seniors, I’ve created the ultimate guide to help you know what you should (or shouldn’t) do on the doorstep.

Here are some dos of the doorstep that should be common sense but sometimes aren’t. First, always walk your date all the way up to their front door to say goodnight. Nothing is more lame than saying goodbye in the car and watching your date pull out while you walk to the door alone. Even walking up half of the driveway and then saying goodbye is dumb. Seriously, don’t be lazy! You will survive the extra 30 second walk, I promise!

Second, always thank the person who took you out! Even if you didn’t have a lot of fun, they took the time to ask you out, plan and organize details of the date, and pay for the food/activities so it’s important to say thanks.

“Even though doorsteps are usually awkward, you should always follow through with them. Doesn’t mean you like them or have to kiss or hug them. It just shows respect and is thoughtful,” senior, Will Deeds said.

And no matter how nervous you might be, it never hurts to give your date a hug.

“Always give them a hug! You just spent the night with them and you should show your gratitude for the effort that went into the date,” senior, Ashley Alvord said.

Just like the do’s of the doorstep there are plenty of don’ts. I mean, can we talk about the awkward side hug? We’ve all experienced it at one point and have no desire to experience it ever again. So just remember if you’re going to go in for a hug like Ashley suggested, give your date a normal hug! I’d also keep it to a couple seconds since long hugs can become awkward with people you’re not close to.

Along with the hugs, don’t ever ring your date’s doorbell once you’re on the porch at the end of the night. I know this might sound crazy but people actually do this!

“Never ever ever ring the doorbell when it’s not your house. One, you’re coming home late anyways and two, you don’t know when they are ready to go in,” senior, Marie Tew said.

It’s also important to remember basic social skills and to never intentionally make your date uncomfortable. 

“Don’t be looking at their feet, make eye contact,” senior, Josh Morrison said.

There are a lot of things to consider when the time of the doorstep comes, but just remember everyone has awkward moments and it’s ok if your doorstep experience ends up being one of them. These aren’t fun in the moment but we can learn a lot from them and hopefully be able to laugh about them later on.

One last piece of advice is to expect the unexpected because chances are you will have at least one weird experience with the doorstep. But dating is fun and remember: the doorstep doesn’t have to be weird.

Good luck out there!