No Boys Allowed: How to avoid the dudes

Just about every girl likes going out and having fun with her friends, but sometimes good nights can take an awkward turn when guys start hitting on her. That’s not to say that guys don’t have the same problem, but many of the following tips can help males and females enjoy a night out without running into creepy characters.

Here are 10 ways to avoid a creeper while getting your groove on at your favorite nightlife spot.

The more, the merrier

One of the most important things to do when planning a night out is make sure you have good close friends to go with you. Never go out alone; that’s no fun anyway.

“I usually try to stay super close with a female friend so a lot of them will think I’m gay,” said SFA alumna Courtney Kocurek.

By having your besties tag along you not only give off an air of confidence that will shy many unappealing men away, but you will also have friends to converse with when they try to approach you.

Don't Go Overboard

It is easy for us girls to go heavy on the makeup and dress in our short skirts and low-cut tops, but it can be those things that draw the sleaziest of men. By dressing provocatively, women are shouting to men to come hit on them. Try dressing for style and comfort and tuck the excessive cleavage away until the right time.

Bring A Date

Avoid getting hit on is by bringing a date. Your date doesn’t have to be a boyfriend, but it should be a friend willing to appear as your boyfriend. Before going out, create a signal for each other that you can use to call for help. When trouble comes your way, just use the signal and your “date” knows to come rescue you. Richard Jackson, a regular at a local bar believes this is the best way to counter unwanted conversations. He said, “It’s the ultimate counter, a guy friend.”

Friends only

Conversing with strangers is the only way to make friends, but talking to someone for 10 minutes doesn’t classify them as a friend. Be picky when you decide who you want to talk to, keep close to the people you know and wait to be introduced to someone. If the stranger is a decent guy then it’s likely someone you know has ties to him and can tell you about his personality. Talk to your other guy friends, but don’t approach just any guy in the room. You can’t tell by good looks if someone is a little off their rocker or not, so wait for that introduction.

Keep Your Number

In the age of technology, I know how difficult it is to not give your phone number to just anyone you meet that you hit it off with. But wait, I promise it will be worth it. Recently, I met a guy, he was cute and friendly, so I gave him my number and we even hung out around town once. But after that, he got weird on me. What I didn’t know when I met him is he was harassing women through text messages. Thank goodness he was turned in and the texts stopped. So take my personal experience to heart, meet someone a few times before handing out your number. If you want to stay connected after you meet at the bar find him on Facebook or Twitter. That way you can easily delete or block him if you need to.

Watch the Drinks

If you are of age to drink, make sure you keep track of how much you have had to drink and don’t drink to the point of intoxication. Guys see an easy target when that cute girl is slurring her words and will make sure they are there to “take you home” when you can’t drive. By staying sober, you know with whom you are leaving and who not to leave with, such as complete strangers.

Lying is for Liars

No one likes being called a liar, so do your best to avoid lying to anyone about who you are. You never know who you are going to run into and where you will run into them.

A SFA professor knows this rule all too well. While living in New York she was invited to a big event, and she didn’t want anyone to know where she worked or who she was. So she told everyone a different name, and a different job. Unfortunately she had a meeting with one of the men just a few days after the event.  It was very embarrassing when he remembered the fake name she had given him.

“At the party I told him a different name and that I was a massage artist and my hands were insured for a million dollars. I was so embarrassed,” she said.

Wear a Wedding Ring

Although it contradicts the previous tip, sometimes lying is okay. Courtney Kocurek, although she is married now, found it easy to slip on a fake ring and flash it whenever a guy was trying to hit on her.

“I even wore fake wedding rings a few times,” she said.

Many guys will shy away from girls who are married, giving you the opportunity to have a fun-filled night with the gals.

If He Approaches

We all know that you can’t avoid every guy everywhere you go, but set some ground rules for what you might say to a guy who approaches you that you are not interested in. It is always best to be polite rather than rude. But don’t get too friendly.

Nacogdoches resident Brittany Pennington simply tells guys that she is uninterested or points them in the direction of a girl who might be.

She said, “I usually say something like, ‘I’m sorry I’m not interested in you, have you met that girl over there?’”