[Got a Dude itch you just can’t scratch? Sick of trying to come up with a not-totally-crazy-girl way to bring it up to your guy friends and get their take on things? Totally over over-analyzing the cryptic messages he leave on your Facebook Wall? We got your back, girlfriend. Send your question over to askthedude [at] collegecandy [dot] com. The Dude won’t sugarcoat it, beat around the bush, or any other weird cliche that means lie to you. Like a nice, juicy hot dog, he’ll be 100% real beef, 100% of the time. So bring. it. on.]

Dear Dude,

What do guys really think of sex on the first date? Is it a deal breaker? I feel like if you have a genuine connection with someone, and the sex is awesome, shouldn’t that make them want you more? Or does it completely take the fun out of the chase? I’ve had one long term relationship start out of sex on the first date. I’ve had other guys never call me again. What’s the deal?

Sincerely,

Screwed then screwed!

Dear Screwed then screwed!

Here’s the deal: I’ve never known of a man who found sex to be a deal breaker on the first date. If anything, it’s considered a minor miracle from the Heavens, and for some d-bags out there it’s an expectation, which kind of clarifies why I’m calling them d-bags.

There’s a lot more to the chase than just having sex. Don’t get me wrong, it can certainly enhance the chase. However! There are so many ways to have sex and in so many places, and some could argue getting a taste and then not getting the meal is even more enticing. I think it’s a guy to guy situation.

Do men respect women less if they can get laid on the first date? Maybe some. Is sex all a guy wants? Possibly. It’s certainly one of the things he’s thinking about over tortellini. There are other thoughts, like if his hair’s doing that cow lick thing or if he mentioned his love for animals enough…and your breasts, which doesn’t count as thinking about sex, it’s just something we think about that LEADS us to thinking about sex. Sorry, that clarification had to be made!

Your track record’s a spotty one with having sex on a first date, and if it’ll lead to more or less. My question is, what are you looking for on the first date? Are you having sex because you think he wants it or because you want it? If you’re doing it for you then, “Have at thee!” As Thor would put it. If you’re doing it because you’re trying to ensure a second date, then I would recommend trying to hold off and make it a 2, or the classic 3, date rule. Just don’t pull a Robin Scherbatzky and change your mind mid-date and think you need to shave your legs. The first time, if we’re focusing on what’s on your legs rather than what we’re doing in between them…there’s no picket fence in the future.

Be careful about looking for logic when asking the question “to f*ck or not to f*ck?” These aren’t logical actions, they’re primal. Awesome sex doesn’t mean you have an emotional connection yet. It means you could. It also might mean you just have sexual chemistry, or you were really horny. Generally assuming that if the sex is awesome, then he’d want to come back for seconds is illogical. It’s just not always reality. Remember, you’re looking at it through your eyes, and you can’t be certain how he’s looking at it through his.

The bottom line is this: If you’re not getting the results you want with the way you’ve been going about trying to get them, then it’s time to change things up. Change your policy or change the type of guy you’re going out with. The issue’s at the source either way.

Keep calm, and don’t blink!

The Dude

I fail to see anything wrong with having sex on the first date.

This flies in the face of conventional dating wisdom. Apparently, first date sex is so much more than “I think you’re sexually attractive and I would like to do it with you.” No, apparently boning on the first date means that you’re slutty, that you’re not interested in getting to know the other person, that it completely ruins any chance at a lasting relationship. I’m not sure where these ideas have come from, but they are definitely not universal truths. There are a lot of dynamics that come into play when sex and relationships are concerned, and most of them are completely socially constructed. If you go out with someone, and you have a delightful time, and the sparks are flying, and you end up naked and entangled in each other, that in and of itself does not doom your relationship.

What causes a relationship to either fail or succeed after this point is completely up the parties involved. If one or both people have absorbed the incredibly dysfunctional and reductive notion that there is a difference between people you date and people you f*ck, and never shall the two intersect, then of course having sex early on is not going to work out. It is a conscious choice to not consider someone you have sex with to not be dating material  There is that terrible phrase, “Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free” that never ceases to make me cringe, but unfortunately, perfectly sums up a lot of people’s dating philosophy. But really, is sex really supposed to be the ultimate goal of a relationship? Isn’t a relationship supposed to be based on mutual respect, companionship, support, and encouragement, among many other things? Having sex with someone does not at all hinder the possibility of cultivating all of these things.

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[He Said/She Said is a new series designed to help all our wonderfully confused readers figure out what he's really thinking. So every week we'll be throwing out a topic for debate...and unlike our fave dude, these guys won't be sugar coating anything for you. But before you jump into their heads (which seriously will make you feel like you need to shower), check out what we think!]

Call me old fashioned and/or a prude (though my entire wardrobe is far from that of a convent) but I don’t really understand the whole “sex on the first date” thing.

Your mother said it, your mother’s mother said it and the mother of the guy you’re on a date with probably said it, but just in case, let me refresh your memory – “Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free?”

It’s simple. Dating is a chase. Some chase love; others chase sex. And since you don’t fall in love with every guy you date, sometimes the chase for sex wins by default.

But when the chase is over, lines are easily blurred as you spiral into uncharted territory. After the first-date hookup with a guy you really like, you get to ask yourself all those fun questions – “What now?”, “Is he going to call?”, “Should I text him?”, “Is he even interested in hanging out again?”, “Am I just a go-to booty call now?” and my own personal favorite, “If we do go out again, will he expect me to give it up every time he buys me dinner?”

I know, I know, most people will mistake my instant overflow of questions as insecurity. But insecurity and confusion are two completely separate things. I just like to know where I stand and I’d prefer that that stance not be in my date’s little black book.

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An hour before my first date with my boyfriend, I was sitting at dinner with a friend who had a single piece of advice for me: “Whatever you do, don’t sleep with him on the first date,” she said. Though I’ve heard iterations of the same first date rule (“Don’t go home with him on the first date”, “Nothing beyond kissing on the first date”, etc.), I was surprised to hear it from my pal — especially since she’s a smart girl who’s comfortable with her sexuality. I told her I’d take her opinion into account, but rule-abiding gal that I am, I proceeded to get wasted, go home with him, and postpone penetration for a whole five hours.

Does having sex in the wee hours of the morning after the first date still count as too early? In society’s eyes, probably. Some variations of the rule even ban sex until double-digit dates. But acting early on the sexual chemistry didn’t hurt my relationship. Nearly a year and a half later, my boyfriend is now my roommate and my respect for rules is still non-existent. It’s not my problem with authority, however, that makes me scoff at delaying sex. I simply don’t believe that the logic behind banning first-date sex is … well, logical. Read More »

I met his guy awhile ago, and we’ve hung out a couple of times with friends, but we just recently went on a “real” date. We slept together after that first date, but I like him, so now I’m afraid I’ve screwed up. Is it really that bad to have sex on the first date?

It’s not bad, but if you’re going to make some intentional decisions to get off on the right foot, then sleeping with someone on the first date isn’t one of them. Yes, even if the chemistry is that good. Flaubert (old French author) believed that anticipation is the purest form of pleasure – and the most reliable. Read More »