Want to awe someone on a first date? You might be under some pressure about how the date is going, but there are ways to get out of your head and just enjoy yourself. Here are 18 things to never do when you’re on a first date.
Things You Must Avoid on the First Date
We all know that it can be hard to find love in this world. Before you know it, the last first date you’ll ever have is on its way and what will you do then? You need to make sure that each one of those first dates paves the way towards a happy journey, because as we all know, some relationships don’t work out as well as others.
So do your best on your first dates and make sure that things go on with a happy note and do not do any of the following things.
1. Picking too Adventurous a Date Setting
While planning a date with your significant other, it’s easy to get tempted into doing something different every time. In that sense, paintball or water-skiing might seem like an adventurous thing to try out for the first date with your girlfriend, but the problem is that you’re not going to be able to talk properly when you’re in a rush. Yes, these sports might make you appear “fun”, but they will definitely lower your chances of getting a second one because you won’t be able to build a connection during the entire date itself.
2. Making Plans that are Too Complicated
Another thing to avoid if you oversee setting up the first date is making it too exhausting. Avoid going overboard with a date. Not only is it far too exhausting to try to do too much at one time, but people can also get burned out after a few different activities. Instead of choosing incredibly expensive and complicated dates, safely pick one or two activities that you know you guys will both enjoy, such as attending an art exhibition or visiting an appetizing restaurant. If you find that at the end of those activities, you want to go to the beach, then do, but at least there won’t be any pressures if both of you want to decline and leave early.
3. Reaching a bit too Late
There’s a saying that you should always make an entrance on time – particularly for your first date. It’s the perfect opportunity to let your date know what kind of person you really are; someone who they can trust to be reliable and punctual, not flaky, or unreliable. If you’re running late by 3/4 of an hour, then there’s a good chance your date might already have left the place because they’ve grown skeptical about whether you’ll be showing up at all!
4. Wearing an Unbalanced Dress
I hate to sound like your mother but seriously, women, you should really start wearing clothing intuitively. While it’s tempting to dress up sexy, it’s best if you avoid this route because when your date sees what all he is going to get from the time he spends with you, he might be a little underwhelmed. In addition to that, there’s also a rule of thumb that every woman should follow on a first date: Either wear something that will cover your chest or wear something that will cover your legs – but never both! By this you’re well-rounded and left enough room for a man’s imagination.
5. Not Doing Research
Okay, you can admit it, as soon as you found out your date’s last name, you were searching for them on Facebook and Google. There is nothing to be ashamed of and we all do it. However, telling your date that you know about their childhood pooch Mr. Bow might seem a little weird. There is nothing wrong with doing a little research, just don’t bring it to the table with you.
6. Not Being Yourself
First dates can be nerve-racking. But you shouldn’t let your insecurities get the best of you! If the date’s going to happen, it’ll happen regardless of what you wear or how much makeup you put on, so don’t stress. There’s no need for either of you to be worried about your physical appearance when really, if there wasn’t an attraction at some point, neither of you would have even made plans in the first place. This way, by reducing the pressure and relaxing a little bit more than usual, both parties can be themselves and enjoy getting to know one another over a nice meal without all the unnecessary stress.
7. Being too Cold to Your Date
When it comes to love at first sight, I believe you should go with your gut. This however does not mean you start texting or calling someone immediately because that could make you come off as desperate. Playing it cool means giving your crush some extra time to process what just went down before reacting in any way. Don’t rush into setting Facebook relationship statuses, getting married or anything else!
8. Being Pretentious
One of the biggest mistakes you could make on a first date is trying too hard or seeming like you’re acting or trying to be someone that you’re not. A first date is all about getting to know each other and figuring out whether there is any potential in starting something meaningful with one another. If you try – and fall flat – in order to secure a second date, then all your efforts will have been wasted and may even work against you in the long run.
9. Don’t Judge too Soon
We’ve all heard the saying that you can’t judge a book by its cover. The truth is, you never know if a person is good or bad just from one meeting. When they’re having a bad day there’s a chance they could snap at a customer, but a little bit of patience from your side can make all the difference. Listen up everyone, because the most important thing to remember as humans is that we make mistakes! Everyone has those days, right? We want to remind you to treat others as you’d like to be treated yourself – with patience, tolerance, and respect.
10. Not Paying Attention to Your Date
The first rule of thumb when talking to someone you are interested in is… talk to them! It does not matter if your conversation partner happens to be boring you silly. Give them your full attention until the very end. Only then will you have given them a fair chance, right? If this doesn’t apply to you, it wouldn’t be nice if they weren’t paying attention while conversing with you, would it? It’s good to remember that when conversing with someone new, give them your undivided attention so they know they are important to you and that you care about what they have to say.
11. Getting Fixed Up on Future Plans
When you go on a date, it’s best to get to know the person you’re with and see if there is any potential for further interactions. Date topics vary from person to person, but some places that your discussion might head is to confirm or clarify what you hope your future may bring in terms of personal growth and relationship progression. However, don’t get too pushy during a first date, because it can be a bit off-putting for some people and could also kill the excitement before it has a chance to blossom!
12. Laughing at Your Date’s Every Joke
If you don’t think a joke is funny, then at all costs refrain from laughing, it only makes the situation awkward if you laugh insincerely. There is nothing worse than someone who laughs out of politeness at everything their date says even when they’re not amused because they want to impress them, even if it means behaving like a ridiculous clown tagging along after a person they feel strongly about.
13. Talking About Your Exes
One topic that should never be discussed on a first date is the ex-files. It doesn’t matter how much they screwed you over and how much better off without them you are now. Talking about your ex on a first date will only make your date think that you are not over them yet. No one wants to play second fiddle to someone’s ex. If it pops up accidentally, talk about your ex briefly. Otherwise, just skip it.
14. Having too Many Drinks
First dates are meant to be fun and it’s perfectly fine to order a drink or two. But ordering three or four might be getting a bit too ahead of yourself. A good drink helps us experience the sensation of an altered state of reality; we feel relaxed and uninhibited, which is why we may sexually “come out of our shell” at that moment. The truth is that when someone says no because they’re not feeling quite right about things in their mind, body, and/or spirit, this is probably the case for why they said no.
15. Eating Like a Rabbit
So many girls think that when they’re on a date with someone, they must make a conscious effort not to look like they’re enjoying the food in front of them in case it makes the other person feel less about their own meal. But it’s true that if you want to really capture a man’s attention, it pays to be confident and know what you want. So instead of picking the less-filling meal just because you’re self-conscious about wanting to impress, order whatever you’d normally order when out with your friends! If your date ends up being someone worth seeing again then – great! You’ll have lots of opportunities to eat later. After all, dating is supposed to be fun and if part of that means eating a steak off a big plate in a restaurant booth without fearing judgment from anyone beside you – then so much the better!
16. Forgetting Basic Etiquette
Good manners go a long way, whether you’re on a date or not. If your date has picked up the tab while out enjoying some afternoon tea, the least you can do is say thanks for it. Remember, if comments like “thank you” come easily to you when directed at someone else, chances are they will remember them when it comes to paying for your next date. A person with great manners is far more likely to get asked out on another date than someone who couldn’t even be bothered to offer the slightest bit of gratitude for buying dinner!
17. Ignoring the Red Flags
You’re excited. Sure, there are butterflies in your stomach, but more importantly, you also feel a huge amount of excitement! This is an incredibly important date – the first one – the real deal. You don’t want to mess it up by saying something weird or coming off as distant or anything of the sort. Listen to what your date has to say, if something seems odd to you, don’t blow it off. It could be an early red flag that there’s some underlying reason why your date is acting or speaking this way!
18. Getting too Intimate on the First Date!
Bottom line, it’s totally your choice! But one must remember that after they followed you home it could make things awkward for both of you – that is if they’re planning to keep dating you. It can be great fun that is unless you both know and respect each other already. There are situations once in a while where people may sleep with someone on the first date but usually not because either they feel like they’ve known each other every long enough already or simply because there was nothing there special so why not? We understand how tempting it may be to let someone crash after an exceptional night out but it’s always best to tell them goodnight and offer to contact them for another date at their earliest convenience instead.
First dates are one of the most crucial parts of the dating experience because it’s during this time that we get to see what we’re truly made of by seeing how we perform. A first date is a perfect opportunity for you and your partner to exhibit your best qualities and for each other to test each other’s strength and preference as individuals. A first date is also a time when both of your personalities and eye-to-eye contact can really make a huge difference!
It’s important, however, not to let yourself go overboard on either end of the spectrum. Just strike a happy medium where you feel comfortable at all times – that way, if there happens to be a second date, you’ll both know that it’s because (and only because) there was some positive rapport between you!
