Ladies, there was a time when our mothers used to shake their heads and shudder at the thought of their little girls going to the bar. But bars are no longer what they were in the old days, when they were the domains of men and where no respectable woman should set foot in. But bars of today are now a lot friendlier to females and are generally safe for a woman even if she is flying solo.

It can still be difficult out there, though, and there are still men who dare to pick on a female in a bar just because she is alone. How can you as a woman maintain your dignity and privacy from persistent men and enjoy your time at the bar even when you are on your own?

1. Sit near the bar where the bartender or the bar staff can keep an eye on you. If you feel a bit sociable and the bar is not busy, go ahead and sit at the counter. But if you prefer to be left alone, take a table near the counter to yourself. Few people would dare bother you whilst you are sitting at your table, especially when your body language is clearly telling them to back off.

2. Feeling up to a chat with the bartender? It is perfectly acceptable for you to engage the bartender or any of the bar staff in a casual conversation whilst sitting at the counter if the bar is not busy. Bartenders are often very friendly people. Try not to get in the way when the bar is busy, however. Also, show your appreciation for the time the bartender spent on you by buying him or her a drink.

3. It is perfectly normal for a guy to come and offer to buy you a drink, but there are a couple of things that you should know about this. One is that accepting a drink from a man does not mean you are obligated to have a sexual encounter with him. It could be perfectly innocent, and all he wants from you is a chat. The other is that it is also good manners to have a casual chat with the man who bought you a drink if you chose to accept it, at least for the time it takes for you to finish the drink.

4. You are in no way obligated to accept every offers for a drink that come in your way. Does the man who made the offer make you feel uncomfortable? You can refuse the drink in a very polite and civil way.

Bars are no longer exclusively a man’s domain. A woman can fully enjoy herself at the bar, even when she is spending time there on her own.