Don’t Complicate It
People often stress about planning the perfect, romantic first date. However, don’t put too much pressure on how over-the-top or romantic the setting will be. Remember that you know very little about this person and a simple coffee date will highlight how much you are willing to go on a second date. With the right company, the setting shouldn’t matter. You don’t want to feel too much pressure to make the date work.
Leave Some Conversations For In-Person
It can be exciting and fun to text your date throughout the day and continue to do so until you meet up, however it is important to keep some questions and conversation for meeting in-person. You don’t want to give away too much, too fast. You will want to have things to talk about when you meet, and this will make the date less awkward and encourage the conversation to flow.
Be Confident
Everyone gets nervous before meeting a first date, this is completely normal. However, try not to be too shy or quiet, as this can come off as if you are uninterested. Be confident in yourself, people love being around confident people who are sure of themselves. Confidence is an incredibly attractive trait which can portray itself in body language and conversation. If your date is more nervous, it can make them feel more at ease if you take the lead at the start to make them more comfortable (just don’t overtake the full date!).
Listen
One of the most important things to remember on a date, is to listen. It is easy to talk about yourself and get carried away with it, but this can come across as rude and as if you are not interested in the other person or what they have to say. Ask questions and be sure to listen when they are giving answers. Be engaged in what they are saying and ask follow-up questions about previous situations they have brought up. For example, if they say they travelled for 6 months in a passing comment, ask them where they travelled to.
Be Yourself
Tying in with confidence, is being yourself. Don’t try and be someone you’re not and don’t change your opinions or your personality to suit the other person. This is not genuine and will not work out in the long run. If you feel like you are two very different people, there is nothing wrong with this and is actually pretty common. You can still continue to be polite and be true to yourself throughout the date. You can be honest and tell your date that you think you would be better off as friends and that you feel you are too different.
