aaron.r.36248 asked this question on 7/12/2000:

What constitutes a date versus two people just hanging out? What defines a date?

SeekTrueLove gave this response on 7/12/2000:

Dear aaron.r.36248,

I think what makes a date different from just two people hanging out is very subtle. "Dating" really is just a means of social interaction between two people who are getting to know one another with the intention of evaluating each other's romantic relationship potential.

So just hanging out with a person of the opposite sex is like a date. You get to see whether they have the characteristics of what you are looking for in a girlfriend/boyfriend. But there is really no pressure if romantic intentions are clearly absent.

So to answer your question, a "date" is two people getting together, spending time together, with romantic or potentially romantic intentions on the line.

Of course, this can be confusing because sometimes one person on a date thinks of it as a "date" while the other thinks of it as "just hanging out". How can you make sure that both people are on the same page, so to speak?

It must be made clear at the outset whether the getting together to do something is "just as friends" or as a "romantic date". This can be done with actual words like "I like you. I'd like to take you out on a date" or with actions: giving her flowers. Or with both words and actions.

This way there is no miscommunication.

Anyways I hope that answers your question.

If you need any clarification, please write back.