To Hang Out or Not to Hang Out. That is the Question.

Once upon a time I was a young college student in a carefree world where I could spend my days with guys who I wasn't even interested in with no consequences...or so I thought. I learned the hard way that hanging out too much with the same guy leads to either heartbreak or frustration. Heartbreak because one of you will develop feelings for the other and frustration when I start getting treated like one of the guys. That's the worst.
So where do you draw the line? Because you can't just not hang out either because how else are you supposed to meet guys, and you can't just ALWAYS go on dates right?
Let's examine some CASE STUDIES!

1. This has happened a million times. I have a best friend who is a guy and all we ever do is hang out. Even if I don't like him he takes up all my time and energy and then ends up dating some other girl.
NOT TO HANG OUT

2. The other week one of my guy friends started asking me to hang out all the time. I was so confused because none of them were exactly dates, but I stuck it out anyways to see what would happen. Finally he asked me to come home with him for the weekend. Yikes! I did it but I was in emotional turmoil because I didn't know how he felt about me since he had never asked me out. We had a great weekend (it was like a big giant first date), but he hasn't even called since. I saw him last night with some other girl.
NOT TO HANG OUT

3. I became instant friends with this guy this summer and we started hanging out every day. None of them were real dates and I was starting to really like him. I gave him a couple weeks and he never asked me out. On a Friday night when he asked me to hang out with him and another girl I just kindly and clearly turned him down. That was the end of the hangout fest. He has been stringing another girl along for months now and she is in love. He has not asked her on a date. We are still friends, but I have no emotional attachment.
TO HANG OUT (but only for a couple weeks)

4. Went to hang out with a big group last night, met a cute boy, he got my number.
TO HANG OUT

Well peeps, I don't know if I've figured out the great hang out question yet, but I think I'm on my way! I'm free of emotional attachments anyways and I'm having a ball! Also, I'm hanging out with an awesome guy tonight. Hopefully in this case the answer is TO HANG OUT!