Official 'going out' meaning someone asks another if they will "go out" with them, and somehow you're just called boyfriend and girlfriend AND THEN you start hanging out and stuff OR do you prefer actually going out and doing activities with someone and then you start being all cute together and stuff and somehow you're considered boyfriend and girlfriend?

I like hanging out with someone... then later they ask "will you go out with me?" ..even though technically we aalready have.. but not like that. but its kinda like the official question as to.. "will you be my girlfriend?"
if some random dude asks me out... and weve never like talked or hung out before, then it would just seem all awkward.

i think i like the actual dating & hanging out better because it shows that you guys really want something more than just a title and not do anything special.

I think going out with a guy is just a way to get to know him on a more personal basis.

However, most kids at school don't think so. I think it's dumb that some people consider the question, "Will you go out with me?" to be the same as "Will you be my girlfriend/boyfriend?"

Hanging out with a guy first usually works better, you can get to know them that way.

the second choice.

I like getting to know the guy before having him ask to go out. So I guess I'd prefer the second choice.

I think hanging out first is the better approach but people still frequently do it the other way.

doesn't matter... although i like to know the dude before anything is official.

I have done... the second one.. XD

I never worked for me the other way 'round, the relationship just won't develope that way for me.

well I've experienced both situations and I must say, the second option worked out better for me.

First boyfriend...we didn't really get to know each other before we become official...and we essentially had nothing in common. It became somewhat of a physical stuff based relationship which I didn't quite like...and we broke it off a month later.

My current boyfriend...we knew each other through school (we were both in the same program) and got to know each other better via a friend. Exchanged MSN and numbers and we started talking more and more over MSN. Hung out and went out a lot as friends...feelings developed and eventually I just asked him how he felt about me. He said he had feelings for me too and we got together. While we considered ourselves "official" boyfriend/girlfriend since the day that I asked, we were "going out" for about half a year before hand.

I prefer so much to hang out with him before-hand. People here call it "talking", and while it's not really dating, it's the closest thing to it.

i like it when i actually HANG OUT with someone, and they'd ask if i'd go out with them. because then you know that person has an interest for you. the other way to me seems like, 'oh, he's handsome' or 'oh, she's hot', and just using them for a title. idk, maybe it's just me.

oh yeah, i like this topic.

i dont think you can actually be called boyfriend and girlfriend without first getting to know each other and go out first so 2nd option...go out first and get to know each other.