The ideas and anecdotes fromthis thread have sparked my desire to have data broken down into bar graphs. So, please tell me, ladies and gents - is making out part of foreplay, or should it be an end unto itself? I’m interested primarily in finding out about activities between adults in relationships - in keeping with the gist of the original thread. Single folks and young people may have different ideas.
For the record, I’m a guy and think making out is part of foreplay.
Guy, either/or.
Sometimes just making out that goes nowhere can be an awful lot of fun.
Fellow (well past school years), seconding what tdn said. It can be quite fine by itself, as a first course, or as a test run 
Well if it ends with sex it was foreplay. If it’s just making out, it’s just making out. Like fooling around.
I think he’s asking if making out is a worthwhile activity in and of itself, or if it’s sole function is to serve as foreplay–if it’s worth the bother if sex is impossible.
Almost, but not so much if it’s worth it if sex is impossible. Just if it’s an act that more men or women view as self-contained.
Male here - making out is an act onto itself if the relationship is brand new and I’ve not seen her naked yet. Once that boundary is crossed it’s just more fun to make out naked - hence foreplay.
Any contact with a girl I’m in love with is good contact - so if we only have time to make out but can’t do anything else then I’m perfectly willing. I really do love kissing.
It all depends on how things are going. Could be either depending on the time, place, situation.
To me, making out is a lot like an order of onion rings: could be an appetizer, but could certainly stand by itself!
Female. It can go either way.
Male, and straight. If it was with another guy, making out would definitely be an act unto itself.
When (good) kissing drags on for too long without more serious follow-up (for instance while on an afternoon at the park), it can lead to blue balls.
Huh - more guys voting for “self-contained act” than I predicted, but the ladies seem to have fallen out more or less as I thought. Thanks all, for indulging my bar graph-fetish! I’m gonna nip off into the corner with it now and make out a bit.
Stated this way, Making out is Definately worth the bother! Who doesn’t remember those early days in a relationship when you wanted to have sex but the othr person wasn’t ready yet, when those kisses good bye at her door could last well over an hour?
Sometimes the word ‘impossible’ seems the very definition of being young and in love.
Sometimes it’s part of foreplay. Sometimes, I just missed my husband while I was at work.
Male…definitely can stand on its own. Doesn’t have to, but can.
Female - making out is an act unto itself but the majority of guys I’ve made out with thought it was foreplay. Then again, some of them thought that “hi, honey” was foreplay…
I grew up watching Fonzie* make out with, but never actually do the deed with, every girl. So it got cemented in my mind as a separate activity. But, apparently, to one girl on my Facebook, any kiss is a prelude to sex, and has to wait until marriage. Funny how I have met many people who read a book and believe that, but none that actually make it.
*On Nick at Nite. That’s why I can keep up with you guys about old shows, despite being 25.
Do we not get both?
The earlier thread was about exactly this: some couples don’t go beyond “affectionate” unless they are headed towards sex. Others do.