DR. WALLACE: I'm 19 and have never had a steady girlfriend. About three weeks ago, I met a really nice girl at my cousin's birthday celebration. We had a conversation that lasted about 20 minutes, and when it concluded, she gave me her number and said she'd like to go out with me sometime. I was quite pleasantly surprised!

A few days later, I called her, and the good news is that we went out twice and had a great time on both occasions. I think I will want to make this a lasting relationship if we continue to get along this well.

Now I'm not sure what the future holds, so I thought I might ask you to please give me your advice on the best ways to make a new relationship that's off to a good start become even better. — Happily Dating, via email

HAPPILY DATING: Well, first things first, you seem to be doing just fine without my advice! But since you did ask me quite sincerely, I'm happy to provide the following list of suggestions to you and others in your situation:

Seek to make her laugh. Girls enjoy a guy with a high entertainment value. You don't have to be a comedian; just tell her funny stories about you, your friends or your family.

Send her flowers on special occasions, and randomly on no special occasion at all, as ladies love receiving them, and beyond that, they truly appreciate the sentiment that goes with this type of gift. Find out what her favorite flower is, and send a few to her whenever you can afford them.

Send her handwritten notes. Ladies love getting personal notes. Don't make them long and complicated; keep them short but sweet, and she will truly realize how often you are on her mind.

Cook her dinner once in a while! Ladies love to see guys who are brave enough to give things a try in the kitchen. If you are truly a terrible cook, then buy a carryout dinner and bring it to her house so that you can enjoy it together in private.

Shop with her. One of the best ways to get closer to a female is to go shopping with her for clothes, shoes, gifts or even healthy groceries. And if you are lucky enough to be able to help her find something special that she looks great in, you will win big points with her heart.

Be genuinely nice to her family and friends. These people who are close to her are very important people in her life. You'll want to learn about them and do your best to engage them in interesting conversations on topics that are of particular interest to them.

Compliment her. You already know that she is beautiful and has a lovely smile. So, the next step is to be sure that you let her know she is a sensitive and caring person you're proud of.

Be original. Remember, whatever you do, if you're bored, she's more likely to become bored herself, and this is not a recipe for success. Be creative, and show her the time of her life by finding fun things to do and to talk about when you have time alone with her.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: ArtTower at Pixabay