Society has raised us with set norms and behaviors depending on our gender. For instance, women should be in touch with their feminine side: know how to cook, take care of the house and be submissive. While the man is the provider of the house; he can’t show weakness and he should be a fan of sports. But now more than ever, many of us are breaking out of these norms and are growing with new ideas. With that in mind, I don’t believe a guy should feel obligated to pay for my dinner. It’s 2017 people!

Sure, it’s part of being a gentleman, however, there are other key factors that can demonstrate to me that he can be a gentleman, and paying for the bill does not prove anything to me.

I don’t expect a guy nor anyone to ever feel obligated to pay for me. My dad brought me up to be independent and to never have any expectations from anybody, more so if it's a guy. But one thing he has engraved in my mind was to be with someone who respects me.

When I came back from a date, the first thing my mom asked me was, “Who paid?” Obviously, I paid for my meal, and she said, “Well the gentleman thing would have been him paying.”

Does that honestly make a difference? It does not take away the good time we had at the restaurant we nearly sat at for four hours talking and laughing. Besides that, from the very start he never let me touch any door, he walked me to my car at night, started my car, walked right next to me all the time and not once did he ever say a bad word in front of me nor did he ever disrespect me. Those are qualities that I admire and will win my heart over.

All of those sweet gestures weigh so much more than getting the bill. It does not make him any less of a man or a cheapskate if he accepts you paying for your meal.

Aside from that, I’m not dating you for financial support or for free food. I’m dating you because you genuinely caught my attention and I want you to add happiness to my life.

Besides, dating in college is complicated, not only emotionally but also financially because we’re struggling students who have bills and loans to pay. It’s not like we’re getting the big bucks just yet. Yeah, it’s maybe only an extra $15 dollars, but what’s 15 dollars to you can mean more to someone else.

So all the men out there, don’t feel offended if your date wants to pay for her meal. Also, don’t insist because we all know about that awkward tension when the bill comes and you don’t let her pay. We appreciate it, but if she says, “I got it,” trust me, she’s got it!

We know men are raised to be providers, but providing love, respect and happiness is all I ask for.