{Disclaimer: This did NOT happen to me, it happened to my friend. So relax, Dad.}
Dear Men of the Internet:
If you decide to break up with a girl, and you ponder it for weeks, do not TELL her that you’ve been thinking about it and are just now getting up the courage to do the dumping. IT’S RUDE. It makes a terrible moment worse, because your now-ex-girlfriend has to deal with not only being newly single (and perhaps heartbroken), but also the fact that the last few weeks (or however long) has all been faux-happiness on your part, therefore ruining every memory from that time period.
Also, don’t invite her over to your place under the guise of a normal evening watching movies and hanging out. I’m not really a proponent of an over-the-phone breakup (and DEFINITELY not in favor of text message break ups), but perhaps telling her there is “something you need to talk about”, or maybe even asking her to meet you somewhere for dinner (if you don’t want to do the breaking up at your house) is better than making her think nothing at all is wrong.
Ideally, though, you will stop by HER place, letting her know before hand that you’re coming over and you need to speak with her, and do it there – and then quickly make your exit, leaving her to call all her friends and talk about how terrible/awful/stupid/useless/evil you are. This way she doesn’t have to awkwardly show herself out of your house (… or, if she has anger issues, so you don’t need to worry about her breaking all your stuff).
That is all.
well said.