Confused by the following 'terms of endearment' - darlin, love, sweetheart?

I am a girl too and have wondered this in the past. I think it depends on who is using them. If it is guys that you know and are friends with it could be just showing they care. I often call close friends of either gender hun or sweetie. It's how I show they mean something to me or that I care. If it is guys that you have barely met it could be a couple of reasons. They could either not remember your name, be trying to make an impression that they are interested or it's just their personality. I find that most older men do it more in a fatherly way than to ert authority.