Introducing your friends to your partner - who to avoid and who
to show off
You have been dating for a few weeks and everything is
going great. You have a lot of things in common and you can't
wait to show her off to all your friends. But wait...before you
invite her to poker night, take a minute and think about it.
Your buddies are great, but what kind of message are they
sending to your respective partner? Take out a pen and paper and
start jotting down the names of all your friends. Then go
through the following list to find out who to invite and who to
give a rain check for another day.
The College Buddy- He has been there for you since freshman
year. He was with you at every frat party and every early
morning class. He remembers every girlfriend and every fling you
ever had. Beware of introducing him to your girlfriend however,
the last thing that either of you wants is to be reminded of
your assorted list of girlfriends and one night stands. Save the
meeting for another day.
Your Roommate- The two of you share a bathroom and a fridge
together, and probably a lot more. He understands your quirks.
He will probably be the first to admit that your feet smell and
you can't cook anything but pizza and cereal. This buddy should
be invited to your initial "meet the friends" party however. He
will no doubt be around when you bring her home, so it is a good
idea to get this meeting out of the way early on. You can pick
the date and gain a little control over the situation. Nobody
likes to meet someone for the first time when they are in the
shower or some other equally embarrassing situation.
Your Married Friends- You had to sit through their four hour
wedding, so now its payback time. They all have houses, wives,
and maybe even a few kids. You normally see them at backyard
cookouts and other get-togethers. They are probably a little
more stable than your single friends and understand women a
little better (at least we hope). For this reason, I would
highly recommend inviting them to meet your new girl. It will
help her see that you are capable of settling down. If they have
some pictures of you playing water tag with the kids at the last
party, you get bonus points.
With a little bit of planning you can make the meeting great for
everybody involved. Pick a nice public place which will make
everyone feel more comfortable. Good luck and relax, you will do
great and your friends will love her!