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( Wow. I am really, really proud of that article heading. )

A recent study of unmarried men and women aged 18-29 by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy showed some alarming results about people who are relatively uninformed or straight-out ignorant of the use/function/purpose of contraception and birth control.

• 63% of people were unaware of how birth control works (eh, ok, I somewhat understand this, they are probably mostly men who don’t understand uteruses [uterii?] or estrogen or anything about women)
• 42% of men and 40% of women think that even on birth control your chance of getting pregnant in a year are over 50%. Actually, birth control is usually 92% effective if taken every day. I don’t think women would subject themselves to the raging hormones and weight gain that birth control can bring along if it was only 50% effective, do you?
• 38% of men and 44% of women believe that contraceptives or no, if it’s “your time” to get pregnant, you will. Yes. True. Also, mermaids are real and I once moved a marble with my brain.
• 30% of the people surveyed didn’t understand how condoms worked. I don’t even have commentary for this one.

Perhaps my comments were a tad on the extreme side. Either way, despite my judgement, it’s extremely important for men and women to inform themselves about contraceptives and birth control, or your steamy AdultFriendFinder experience could yield some very unsavory results!

Read more at Hooking Up Smart

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Even the smartest, most health-conscious women have bad habits that they don’t realize could be seriously detrimental to the health they try so hard to maintain.

Here are 5 habits you might have that you don’t realize are bad for your health.

1) Driving with the windows down

There’s nothing like turning off the AC on a perfect summer day and driving with the windows down. The wind in your hair and on your face feels great, but what you don’t realize is that you’re breathing in toxins from the other cars on the road. While it’s next to impossible to totally give up driving with the windows down, trying to avoid doing so in heavy traffic or on the freeway is a good step to keeping your lungs toxin free.

2) Rocking out too hard at the gym

In an age where your music device can be the size of a credit card, working out can be make exponentially more enjoyable by listening to some fast paced music while on the treadmill. However, blasting your music at full volume can irreversibly damage your hearing, just while your trying to get your body at peak performance! You might look super hot, but you won’t be able to hear any of the compliments. Turn the music down to 50%, and save your eardrums a world of hurt.

3) You always order a salad

You’re trying to watch your weight so you order salads at restaurants and fast food joints, thinking you’ll cut the fat and cholesterol out. In reality, though, those salads, with bacon bits, ranch dressing, and cheese, are actually just as bad for you, except a lot of them don’t even offer protein! Instead, stick with a grilled chicken sandwich or a salad without all those high fat add-ons.

4) You don’t lift weights

Contrary to popular belief, pumping iron alongside your cardio workouts will not turn you into some bulky looking freak. Most women don’t have the physical capability to put on that much muscle, as there isn’t enough testosterone in their bodies. In order to get body-builder huge, women have to spend hours a day listing heavy weights and (sometimes) adding enhancing drugs. Think of weight lifting as “muscle toning,” and help your body be more than just thin.

5) You thinking home cooking is always healthier

Not true, lady. Although cooking at home can cut out some preservatives and fatty oils, always making your food gives you the opportunity to take seconds or even thirds, not to mention that many home cooked foods are actually richer in saturated fats. To enjoy home cooked meals healthier, always measure your portion and immediately put the rest away as leftovers, thus discouraging you from taking more than you should.

Read more at Prevention.com

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A Faux pas is defined as a violation of accepted social norms or etiquette rules. There are fashion faux pas, social faux pas, and political faux pas. We have found through dating experience that there are also dating faux pas that are consistently noticed on first dates. Here are a few of the worst.

1) Being indecisive

The first date can be nerve-wracking, we’ve said it a million times. The last thing you want to do is say something that will totally turn your date off. However, don’t be so afraid to state your opinion that you “don’t care” where you go to dinner and “will watch whatever” at the movies. You’ll either appear boring as hell or just very intimidated. Either way, it’s not cute. Don’t be afraid to say “no,” if you hate Thai food or Coen brothers movies (even though that’s just crazy).

2) Interrupting

Even if you’re busting at the seams to share that you LOVE pancakes too! it doesn’t mean you need to cut them off and never let them finish their statement. Interrupting constantly is one of the most irritating habits a person can have, because it just screams, “I’m more important than you!!!”

3) Being a Naysayer -or- a One-Upper

You know these people… you say you saw KISS in concert in 1989 and they say they liked KISS way before that. Or you say you once saw a pigeon eat a lizard and they demand that you’re wrong. Nobody enjoys feeling like they are uninteresting or “less cool” than you. If you tend to be either a one-upper or a naysayer, keep the negativity at home. It’s unattractive.

4) Trying too hard

Hey you, in the tux, with the flowers. Slow it down. The first date should be casual and fun, not stressful. Before you start running to open every door (or reapplying makeup every ten minutes, ladies), remember that you’re just trying to get to know each other, not trying to present yourself as something you’re not.

5) Bringing up the taboo topics

Assuming you aren’t a Southern Baptist who met their date on ChristianCafe.com, it’s probably best to avoid talking about religion,. Similarly, some topics to avoid are politics, money, or ex-boy/girlfriends. Keep the conversation light and casual, or else you could potentially ruin a great first date.

I was wrong. As you can see in this picture, Scott Disick is still a douche. And Kourtney just tied herself to the guy for 18 years. Good luck with that.

img @ ONTD

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A recent study done by the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University probed the minds of the population, asking them exactly which acts meant “having sex.”

Most of the results were as expected… 73% believe receiving oral sex was “having sex,” while 95% were in favor of only penile-vaginal intercourse. Oddly, 89% did not consider it to be sex if the man did not ejaculate, and of course, no mention of female orgasm was mentioned.

The weirdest results, though, were probably those of the older males, of which only 77% believed penile/vaginal penetration to be sex. I am confused and somewhat grossed out. Until I realize that most of them probably didn’t hear/understand the question. Old people, huh? Apparently they haven’t been on SingleFriendFinder recently.

The point that’s important to grasp here is the fact that it’s important to know yourself- what you consider to be sex, how far you’re willing to go on a first date, and the same of your date. While we’re all for casual dating (and the sex that comes with it), keeping by whatever standards or morals you might have will ensure you never have to live with regret.

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During tough economic times, it’s nice to have the option to move back home with your parents and save money so that in a year or two, you can have a bundle of money and start your path towards adulthood. However, it seems as though more and more men these days are making a lifestyle choice to remain immature, living off their parents well into their 30s.

A recent Newsweek article by George Will showed some disturbing statistics, that 13% of men between the ages of 25 and 34 are living with their parents (while only 8% of women do). That might not seem like a lot, but in the dating game, that is significant!

When there is a disconnect between the maturity levels of adult-aged men and women, it makes relationships, dating, and even just hooking up less appealing to both sexes: men thinking women are too serious, women see men as unattractive puberty-stricken little boys.

In his article, George Will discusses the popularity of places like Dave & Busters, a “perpetual refuge from adulthood” where men go to drink beer and play video games and generally escape the monotony of, well, growing up.

Let this be a warning to  men who insist on acting like boys: it’s time to be an adult. You can’t go out looking to pull women when you’re still spending your nights playing Call Of Duty until 5 in the morning. While we all appreciate the single life, enjoying adulthood without the responsibility of marriage and parenthood, there is nothing wrong with taking down your Pamela Anderson posters and considering a career outside of a bar.

Growing up means having a little ambition, a little work ethic, and maybe just a tinge of self-reliance. There is nothing more sexy in the world.

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Although it’s probably generally agreed upon that women are quite a bit harder to read than men, there are still some things about men that women falsely assume. They are usually negative, and it’s unfair to assume that all men are soulless sex-maniacs always looking for the newest hottest thing, whether its an LCD TV or a younger woman. Here are DatePro’s top 5 worst assumptions women make about men.

1) Men are less emotional than women

Sure, he might not cry at every cancer story on Grey’s Anatomy, but that doesn’t mean he has completely turned off all emotions. Guys feel many of the same emotions as women, from insecurity to fear to rejection, along with perhaps even more related to the rules of masculinity. The fact that they don’t cry every ten minutes is more a testament to their strength than their lack of feelings.

2) They only seek sexual relationships

Women are often believed to only be capable of a sexual relationship if there is emotion involved (which is also a myth), but that doesn’t mean men are constantly on a hunt for the next booty (well, maybe if they’re on AdultFriendFinder, haha). The reason men can have great sexual chemistry with a person and not need an emotional connection with them is because they usually have such great friendships surrounding them. While often women ditch their girlfriends when they have a relationship, guys maintain their solid group of friends, giving them the perfect balance of friendship and sex.

3) Men aren’t intuitive

False, ladies. Just because they can’t read your mind when you are angry at them for not remembering your 2.75 month anniversary, doesn’t mean they aren’t good at reading your emotions. Studies have shown that although women might notice subtler signs, men see the whole picture much more intuitively than women.

4) Men don’t listen

You know that face that he sometimes makes when you’re having (what you think is) a very important conversation? It looks like he’s probably fantasizing about eating a NY Strip steak or making out with Angelina? Well, I won’t go so far as to say he’s always listening, but sometimes, he is! There have been numerous studies that show that while women might say “mmhmm,” “yeah?” and “oh really?” during a conversation, men are usually able to recount more of what was said than women. Believe it! Unless of course you’re giving him a play-by-play of the last Sex and the City. Then he’s probably dozing off.

5) Men are afraid of commitment

Afraid is the key word here. While you might think your guy is afraid to make the leap into marriage or just a long term relationship, the truth is they’re just more level-headed about the whole situation. While you might be blinded by love into believing you could could be together forever, there is about a 51% chance that isn’t true. His distaste for commitment isn’t born from fear, it’s born from logic!

Read more at ChickTimes

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The Bachelor as a show has really run its course and I think we all know at this point that a handsome millionaire trying to pick his future wife out of a group of fame-hungry aspiring actresses is less than legitimate. However, millions of viewers still tune in every season to see which woman is proposed to, and that will inevitably be divorced from within six to ten months.

This years winner was ex-stripper Vienna, who shockingly won in the final episode despite rumors that she’d hooked up with a camera man and generally exposed herself as a floozy on national television. While DatePro fully promotes a fun, single life, we’re not so sure about exploiting the institution of marriage for all to see.

Despite the advancement of the female sex throughout the years, there is still a somewhat sexist attitude towards women in the dating game. Oftentimes, men make assumptions about women aren’t necessarily true that end up sabotaging a potential relationship, and here are 5 of the worst.

1) We can’t drive

I’ll give it to you, there are a LOT of women who fall into the “bad driver” stereotype, usually due to texting, makeup applying, and generally spacing out. However, assuming that every girl you get into a car with is a terrible driver is completely unfair, because some of the worst driving I’ve ever seen is by guys.

2) If we’re single and want to hang out, it means we want to be in a relationship. With you.

Wrong-o, buddy. The truth is, women find it much easier to be in friendships with guys than vice versa. If we’re single and want to hang out with you, that doesn’t mean that we want to marry you and make babies and be together forever. It might actually mean we just wanna hang out. Period.

3) If we’re in a bad mood, it’s because we’re PMSing

First off- even if we are PMSing, I’D LIKE TO SEE YOU DEAL WITH CRAMPS. (ahem) Sorry. In reality, there are lots of things going on in our brains. Assuming that any type of rough day or stressful mood we have is due to our “lady times” is insulting and will, most likely, make us more angry.

4) We preternaturally have cooking and cleaning skills.

On the contrary, lots of us ladies were just as spoiled as you growing up, and aren’t all that aware of the best way to make lasagna or what temperature of water to clean whites in. Throwing us a white shirt and saying, “Hey babe, can you wash this?” very well could garner you a pink, two-sizes-too-small tank top.

5) Marriage and children are in our 5 year plan

To be honest, marriage and children might be the last thing on our list. These days, an education, a solid career, and making money are oftentimes higher on our priority list. If you think you have to break up with the smokin hot lady you met on Matchmaker.com because you’re assuming she’s gonna get too serious, you better ask her first. You might be losing the best thing that ever happened to you.

img @ nydailynews

Although online dating has exploded into the mainstream and statistics show some 30% of internet users worldwide have tried online dating, there are still those about who are afraid of (or ashamed to) try an online dating site. Here are a few reasons that those people should take a hard look at themselves and realize that online dating is more than just a fad.

1) Getting to know someone before you meet

Going on dates can be nerve-wracking, especially if it’s a blind date, but by communicating online first, you can get a lot of the awkward parts out of the way, and you can meet for the first time with at least a few ideas for topics of conversation. I don’t know anyone who enjoys the awkardness of the first date, so why wouldn’t you want to get rid of it altogether?

2) Improving your dating skills

We’ve all got weird quirks, silly habits, or nervous ticks that make us feel uncomfortable when dating a new person. When you use an online dating site, perhaps Metrodate or LavaLife, even if you don’t meet the love of your life, at least it gives you the chance to see that dating doesn’t have to be scary. You’ll gain confidence and learn to show your personality without being nervous. It’s like taking a dating class, minus how incredibly lame those are.

3) Broadening your horizons

Most of the people you will meet on dating sites are the type of people that you wouldn’t normally approach or even meet. They might live on the other side of town, go to different coffee shops or bars, or might be very busy students orbusiness people. By exploring different dating sites, you might find someone that is made for you, but that you just would never have encountered in the outside world.

4) Perfect for a busy life

Are you a hard working student? Maybe a business woman with a demanding schedule who can’t get out much? Either way, online dating is perfect for the busy man or woman. You can check your dating profile any time, day or night, and chat with singles in your precious few minutes before planning your date.

5) Saves money

Although most dating sites charge a monthly or yearly fee, the amount of money people usually spend on dating, what with drinks, clothes, dinners, presents, and more, ends up costing tons more. WIth online dating you can get to know people before you start dropping the big bucks on them.

Saving money, meeting quality people, and making the most of your time? Can you even think of a reason that online dating isn’t beneficial?