First Date Tips - A Guide to Your First Date Together
Dating can be tough and first dates can be painful. So what are you to do? Here is a list of dating tips to start the year out right!
- Meet your date out and drive yourself. If you want to bail out early, you won’t be trapped. Also, when you have your own car. If things work out, you won’t have any worries about inviting your date in or not. This helps protect you from your own impulses, because what’s worse then “will he respect me in the morning?” is “How much will I hate myself when I wake up?”. Also when you have your own car, no need to worry about safety, your date does not know where you live. This protects you from a date turned bad turning in to a stalking nightmare.
- Keep the date simple. You’re nervous enough without making a big show, plus you don’t want to lock yourself in to an evening you won’t enjoy.
- Men, end the date first. You will make yourself stand out.
- Women, don’t wear anything low cut or short. It sounds like an old cliche but your first date knows very little about the woman you are. He will take you at face value and you don’t want to give the wrong impression.
- Wear clothing that you are comfortable and confident in. First dates are uncomfortable enough without a tight belt biting you around the waist.
- Men, be specific about where you are going. This will make the date more comfortable, and will prevent her from wearing a cocktail dress when you are taking her bowling.
- Ask about your date. Each of us knows we are the most interesting subject
But the most interesting conversationalists are people who ask about others. Great light topics are work, hobbies, sports, kids (if they have any). - Easy on the perfume. You want to knock his socks off, but you don’t want to knock him out!
- Don’t forget to use mouthwash before you go out.
- Don’t order sloppy food. If you are not paying for what you order, try to stay in the middle of the menu.
- Keep the conversation light! Don’t talk or ask about old boyfriends, girlfriends, or ex-spouse. This is a first date, not a therapy session.
- Find out about your dates eating habits before you plan the evening. Make sure you choose a place where they will be able to find something to eat.
- Be attentive! There is nothing worse then a date peering over your shoulder making you feel as if they are looking for something better.
- If you are not paying be considerate of what you order. Try to stay in the middle of the menu.
- And last, but not least, have fun and be yourself!
A friend of mine went out for dinner on a blind date. She is a very conservative women, who really likes to take her time in relationships. All of us who know her know this about her. Her date didn’t. She went out on the date wearing a sexy low cut cocktail dress. They went to dinner, had a wonderful evening, and when he walked her to her door, he pounced on her! She was of course surprised and upset, but her date didn’t know her, he just took her at face value.
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Where to Go on a First Date
Where do you want to meet? Oh, I don’t care, where do YOU want to go? Oh, anywhere you decide would be fine with me. No, no, its up to you? Does this sound familiar? If someone doesn’t make up his or her mind soon, about the only good thing that will come out of this scenario is that you’ll be able to use your senior citizen discount coupon no matter where you decide to go!
I constantly get asked the question, Where should I go on my first Internet date? My first response is usually, Not where your ex-fiance hangs out! Besides that, I suggest to go wherever you would go on ANY first date. Initially, its best to meet at a centrally located place, and you also want to avoid having your date pick you up at your place for the first few dates. So if you’re the type of person that just has to know what kind of car hes driving, just ask, you’ll have to find out later.
As a side note, make sure that wherever you do decide to go, keep dating safety in mind before and during the date. Remember, this person really is just a stranger and while most people have good intentions, you don’t want to find yourself caught up in a bad situation.
Coffee shops seem to be popular places to meet for the first time. Why? Because a cup of coffee is fairly inexpensive, and, if you meet at 2:00 in the afternoon, you have the perfect excuse of having to go back to work if your date isn’t, well, the purdiest thang in the world.
I personally feel going to a coffee shop in the middle of the afternoon just doesn’t have that date like atmosphere. To me it feels more like a business meeting. The one and only time I ever met a guy there I felt like I was being interrogated. (I think he was an undercover cop, especially when he scarfed downed four jelly-filled donuts.) Anyhow, meeting for lunch or early evening appetizers might be a little cozier. (Guys, you may want to skip meeting your date at Hooters or at the Gentlemen’s Club for the first date. You know, just a thought.)
If you’re not into eating, (or if payday hasn’t arrived yet) choose an activity that you both enjoy, such as bowling, darts, or maybe an art museum. Again a public place is always a safe bet, unlike a suggestion this one date of mine made. I met this guy one evening and after we had some appetizers, he wanted to know if I wanted to go for a nice moonlit walk in the woods in the middle of nowhere at 11:00 at night. No thanks, Mr. Bundy. I’d rather roller skate naked down Main Street at rush hour than to truck up in the woods with someone I don’t even know what their last name is.
So you have my permission to tell anyone who suggests something that stupid to go take a hike (alone!)
Treat the first date like any other date. Don’t set yourself up for a bad date by having an escape plan, or by having your buddy call twenty minutes into your date. Talk about sabotaging your evening! Lighten up. Enjoy the get together, even if she/he isn’t going to be walking down that isle with you.
The bottom line is, have a good time, enjoy yourself, let a friend know where you’re going, and be home by ten!
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