|
The First In-Person
Date
Your efforts at online dating have finally succeeded in landing
you an in-person date. Congratulations! It's understandable if
you're feeling a bit nervous. You're about to leave the comfort
of your living room or wherever your computer is located and
venture into the great outdoors. At this point online dating
takes on more of a traditional role.
Now you need to care about what you will wear, how you will
style your hair, where you will go and which one of you will
pick up the tab. The upside is that by now, you and your date
will likely have spent a good deal of time corresponding with
one another. You've perhaps even talked on the phone a few
times. You like what you've heard so far so now is not the time
to tense up.
Where to meet
Many of the issues mentioned above will clear up all by
themselves simply by deciding where the two of you will meet on
your first date. Dinner and a movie are two common locations
for first dates. These are safe choices. But there are many
more places you can go on a first date that are just as
safe.
One way to help decide on a location is to think about the
things you both enjoy. There is a good chance that you've
talked about the ways you each like to spend your free time so
use that as a starting point. If it's art, check the newspaper
for upcoming museum events and spend an afternoon there. If
it's sports, make a date to cheer on the local team. If you
both love salsa, nothing could be more exhilarating than
dancing the night away.
Anyplace that will be mutually enjoyable and where you will be
part of a crowd can be a perfect place for a first date. That
means it is probably a good idea to avoid going to his/her
house for a quiet dinner or hiking that trail you can only get
to by foot. Just because you know each other fairly well, you
still don't really know the other person, their personality,
their quirks or most importantly, their ultimate intentions
with you.
Break the silence
You're all dressed up and you've arrived on time at the
mutually-agreed upon date destination. Now what? Well unless
you want this date to drag on into eternity, you better start
communicating. And communication is the key word here because
it means both talking AND listening. Ask each other questions,
but do what reporters do. Phrase your questions so that you
will get more than a yes/no response. Instead of saying, 'Do
you like Italian food?' ask, 'Which type of food is your
favorite?' See the difference? If you don't do this, you'll
find that you both will be struggling to make conversation.
The key to a successful first date is to relax. Remember,
you're just on a date. You're not walking down the aisle –
yet!
| 
Delicious
Google Bookmarks
Stumbleupon
Digg
BlinkList
Ma.gnolia
Reddit
Yahoo My Web