I only recently learned that there was such a thing as red flagging. It’s a subject worthy of the space this article will consume on the byproduct of a freshly killed tree you hold in your hands. (Thanks for helping the environment. One Earth…It’s all we’ve got guys.)

Red flagging is the process in which a girl writes off a guy that she was considering dating because she finds something about him that gives her reason for concern. More often than not, the girl chooses to do this without any warning towards the guy which means he has very little opportunity to do anything about it. He couldn’t stop it if he wanted to at this point, but there may be ways to avoid it in the future.

We’ll identify some potential red flag areas:

Every girl wants a guy that she knows would be able to support her if they find themselves together for the long haul. While college may keep some guys from holding down a steady job in the here and now, they at least need to have career ambitions. These plans should involve more than the ability to clearly pronounce the words “paper” or “plastic” or the phrase “Would you like cheese on that?”

Many girls want someone that has a nice smile, an absence of body odor and a set of wheels to cater to their every need with. Asking a girl out when you don’t have a car is like trying to fit “antitransubstantiationalist” (ask your theology teachers) into a crossword puzzle–it probably won’t work out for you in the end.

One of the great things about the love of God is that it’s free for all. While this has set an example for all of us to follow, I’m afraid it doesn’t apply to girls in the least. If you really think her love has come to you freely, suggest that she pays the next time you go out for a night on the town and watch how quickly things fall apart. You may not pay for the first date up front, but you definitely have to make a down payment before the night is over if you’re hoping for a second one.

The job of a guy is to try as much as possible to avoid these red flag areas. The ones mentioned here were some of the biggest ones, but there are many others as well (he doesn’t walk her to her car at night, he doesn’t hold open doors for her, he treats his mother poorly, etc.). With all of these potential red flags out there, it would seem that girls would have a really hard time finding a guy who can live up to the expectations.

It would seem to me that the ideal guy would be one with a good sense of humor about himself, a willingness to help others, brown curly hair and dreamy blue eyes. You can Facebook “Ben Jones” in the Lee network if you need a visual.