By Margot Carmichael Lester

Are you going all-out to plan an original and fun Labor Day weekend with your honey? Or just relying on your pals to plan a backyard barbecue? How much effort you put into your planning for this last big weekend of summer says a lot about your dating style. Take this quiz and learn about your true nature.

1. What’s your idea of the perfect Labor Day weekend?

• Buying enough chips and beer to last through a marathon of major-league games. (Score = -1)
• Doing whatever the heck I want for 72 consecutive hours. (Score = 1)
• Telling everyone I’m going out of town with my folks, even though I’m not.
  (Score = 2)
• Planning a cookout. (Score = 3)
• Booking a nice get-away to a fun location for me and my new sweetie—neither of us will have to lift a finger. (Score = 4)

2. Which movie title best describes your approach to planning?

• The Cheap Detective—I’m always looking for the low-price option. (Score = -1)
• Bachelor Party—it’s all about me and my pals. (Score = 1)
• Hide and Seek—if I lay low, I won’t make any gaffes. (Score = 2)
• Everybody’s All-American—I’m a regular kind of person who tries hard.
  (Score = 3)
• The Trip To Bountiful—I love planning escapes for me and my friend.
  (Score = 4)

3. You’re planning a Labor Day party. What’s your biggest concern?

• Figuring out how to keep my date from crashing the party. (Score = -1)
• How much my friends will pitch in. (Score = 1)
• How I can get my companion to do all the planning so I can’t be blamed if something goes wrong. (Score = 2)
• Making sure I’ve got enough charcoal and mixers. (Score = 3)
• Doing enough prep work so I can really enjoy the party—and my date. (Score = 4)

4. When it comes to how hard you’ll labor for love, you:

• Sit back and let other people expend all the effort. (Score = -1)
• Date only low-maintenance folks who aren’t expecting a lot from me. (Score = 1)
• Tell your date to just let you know what he or she wants to do. (Score = 2)
• I’ll send flowers, snag great dinner reservations and get a nice birthday gift. (Score = 3)
• I do whatever it takes to get the person of my dreams. (Score = 4)

5. Your date wants to get away for a few days. You say:

• “Have fun!” (Score = -1)
• “Can you book something in Vegas for us? I love playing the slots.” (Score = 1)
• “I appreciate your taking care of everything.” (Score = 2)
• “Sure, pick a place you like and I’ll be happy.” (Score = 3)
• “Great, let’s sit down and plan something together.” (Score = 4)

SCORING

Less than 0: Ouch! You’re looking quite lazy—and cheap!
You’re not stepping up to the plate and being an active, responsible, and caring dater. Realize that you’ll only get out of romance what you put into it. And if money is part of the reason why you aren’t really participating in Labor Day love plans, know this: “I have a lot of clients who want to travel, but have serious budget restrictions,” says Arik Anderson, president of Executive Travel Center in Sacramento, CA. “Travel agents are always getting information on unadvertised deals, so don’t be afraid to use a rep to plan a trip on the cheap. Don’t worry, most don’t charge clients for services.”

0-5: You’re too self-centered to worry about what your date wants to do.
“You’re taking care of your needs. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as you then plan a reciprocal date that’s all about the other person’s needs,” says April Masini, author of Think & Date Like A Man. “Or if you can make some kind of a deal where Labor Day weekend plans are about you, but something else your date really wants — like Thanksgiving at his or her family’s house this year — will definitely happen. Relationships are about balancing your own needs with your generosity towards your partner.”

6-10: You’re so afraid of making a mistake that you don’t even try.
Dating is an adventure—don’t be afraid to get into the middle of things. Some things you try will be great, some will be no-go’s… but that’s part of life. Don’t sweat it and take some initiative—and some chances! And when it comes to travel-planning, get professional help. “Travel agents can do all the heavy lifting,” Anderson says. “Tell us where you and your date want to go and what you want to do there, and we take care of the rest. If anything goes wrong, we can help you fix it.”

11-15: You’re safe and reliable. Not bad qualities, certainly, but not very zingy.
You are a nice date, no date about that, but try to liven up your routine and how your and your date spend time. Spontaneity and surprises can do wonders. “Adding zing to your plans requires opening your mind to creative options and practicing doing that,” Masini says. If you need help planning a weekend away, consider this advice: “Take a charity or volunteer weekend away where you go to help out a disaster area or a poverty area. Take a cooking weekend where you immerse yourselves in gourmet cooking and eating courses and meals can be great fun, as can be your garden variety, but not-often-taken spa weekend for two. The more you add zing, the more natural it will become to add zing.”

16-20: You’re creative, active and engaged in life—and in your relationship.
These are great traits in a date—congratulations!

North Carolina-based quiz-mistress Margot is the author of The Real Life Guide to Life After College and Be A Better Writer.