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Gaya

So, you like this girl. You have been talking for a while. The conversation is going well. She laughs at your jokes, you laugh at hers, and you have finally reached that dangerous stage where you both know there is something there, but nobody has officially said anything.

Now you want to take her out, and suddenly, you have a problem. Where exactly are you supposed to take a woman you are interested in? Dinner? That sounds serious. Drinks? Maybe too casual. A fancy restaurant? Your bank account has already started sweating. A picnic? Please, in this Lagos heat?

You could take her to the cinema. Actually, you probably should.

You Don’t Have To Talk For Three Straight Hours

One of the most stressful things about a date is the expectation that you have to keep the conversation going. Especially when you actually like the person. Suddenly, you are thinking about every sentence before you say it. Why did I say that? Was that joke funny? Why is she looking at me like that? Should I ask another question? Oh God, there is now silence. Meanwhile, both of you are just trying to eat your food.

The cinema removes some of that pressure. You can sit together, watch something, laugh, react to the movie and generally exist in the same space without having to interview each other over chicken and fries. And after the movie, you automatically have something to talk about.

“What did you think of the ending?” “Why did that person do that?” “I knew that man was the villain.”

There is a difference between sitting across from someone and trying to have a good time and actually having an experience together.

You watch the same movie. You laugh at the same ridiculous scene. You get scared at the same part. You both leave the cinema complaining about how terrible the ending was.

Now you have an inside joke. That is actually how people get closer. And if the movie is good? Even better. If it is terrible? Congratulations, you now have something to bond over.

A date isn't just about impressing somebody. You are also trying to figure out whether you actually enjoy being around this person.

Does she spend the entire movie on her phone? Does she laugh at everything? Does she finish her popcorn before the opening credits? Does she whisper commentary throughout the entire film? Does she immediately start analysing the characters when the movie ends?

You are learning things, and she is learning things about you too. Dating is not a job interview where everybody arrives with their best answers prepared. Sometimes you need to see somebody just being themselves.

It Doesn't Have To Cost Your Entire Salary

You do not need to spend ₦150,000 to prove that you like somebody. There is a strange thing that happens when Nigerians are planning dates. Somehow, a simple outing becomes a financial Olympics competition.&nbsp;Restaurant. Uber. Cocktails. Dessert. Maybe another stop afterwards.

By the time you get home, you have spent enough money to make your banking app send you a concerned notification. A cinema date can be much simpler. Get your tickets. Get some popcorn. Get a drink. Watch the movie. Maybe grab something to eat afterwards if you are both feeling it.

The point is not to impress her with how much money you can spend. The point is to actually enjoy the date.

Not everybody is naturally good at dating. Some people can sit across from a stranger and immediately start discussing their childhood, five-year plan and relationship with their father. Some of us need a little warm-up.

If you're both shy, the cinema is perfect because you don't have to manufacture chemistry from the moment you arrive. You can settle in, watch the movie, laugh a little, get comfortable around each other, and then talk afterwards. By the time you leave, that awkward first-date feeling might have disappeared completely.

If You’re Crushing On Her? Even Better.

Sometimes the problem isn't that you don't know where to take her. You just don't want to do too much. You like her, but you don't want to show up with a 14-point itinerary that makes it look like you've been planning your wedding since the first time she replied to your message.

You want something easy. Something that says, I want to spend time with you, without screaming, I have already named our children. The cinema gets the job done, and if the date goes well, you can always extend it.

Get food afterwards. Take a walk. Sit somewhere and talk. Find somewhere else to hang out. The movie doesn't have to be the entire date. It can simply be the thing that gets the date started.

At some point, you have to stop saying, “We should hang out sometime.” Pick a day. Ask her. Get the tickets, and actually go. If you need an excuse, we have one.

<a href="https://aftrhrs.ng/events/popcorn-premieres-movie-movie-maayhem">Popcorn &amp; Premieres</a> is happening at BANEX Cinema, and for ₦16,000, you get three movies, popcorn and a drink. You can get more details <a href="https://aftrhrs.ng/events/popcorn-premieres-movie-movie-maayhem">here</a>.

So yes, you can finally stop saying, “We should go to the cinema one day.” One day is today. Or, more accurately, whatever day you finally send the text.

Trying to plan a date without overthinking it? Here’s why the cinema might save your wallet and your conversation.

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