You’ve got the date you wanted and now you’re panicking about how it’s going to go – and what you’re going to do …
Sure, it’s a special event and the memory will stay with you a lifetime so you need to get it right, yes?
The first thing is to relax – Your date accepted didn’t they – so they like you – they like the person you were when you asked them, so that’s a good sign.
The next thing is to go prepared – Try to think about how the date might go and what you’re going to do at each stage to make it memorable. But don’t get stressed about this – if you plan what you’re going to do, with options lined up if things don’t go to plan, you’ll be able to relax more knowing you’ve got all the bases covered.
Don’t set up the date weeks ahead – If you’ve got too much time to think about the date and all the things that could go wrong, it’s bound to pile up the stress. Keep the excitement fresh and arrange the date for within a few days from asking.
Choose somewhere you’re going to feel comfortable – A crowded restaurant or public place isn’t going to give you the chance to get to know each other if you’re going to be shouting at each other or straining to hear or have other distractions around you.
Have some alternatives ready – You want the date to be fun, so go somewhere where you can keep your options open and move on if it’s not working out. Be prepared to move on to somewhere different or have a mental list of things to talk about or do.
Keep it informal – For a first date, try the beach or a funfair or mini-golf. You can dress informally to be more relaxed, but don’t be scruffy unless you know your date likes that style. If the conversation dries up, you can ‘do something’ while you’re thinking of something new to talk about.
Keep focused on your date – Make sure you keep your date as the center of attention – don’t stare at them all the time but make sure you keep eye contact, pay them compliments, be interesting (and interested in them), and remember that they’re probably as nervous as you so don’t take the odd mistake personally.
Avoid certain subjects on a first date – There are a lot more interesting things to talk about on a fun date than politics, family, marriage, past relationships, or your future together – so leave those until you’ve got to know each other better.
Creative dates – Don’t worry about that for now. If you’ve got that far, you’re entering into a partnership so take the pressure off yourself that you’re the one that needs to come up with the ideas all the time. As you get to know each other, you’ll know what your partner likes and doesn’t like and you’ll be able to get ideas based on their interests. And you’ll have the chance to decide together what to do.
Don’t forget – Your invitation to the date was accepted in the first place, so you’ve got a head start. Just relax, be yourself, and enjoy the date.
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This article is based on the author’s own experiences, and is written for information only in the hope that it will help you. You must decide for yourself, and take responsibility for, anything you do as a result of reading this article.
These are just a few tips especially for a first date.
Get more tips or more date ideas
More tips and ideas on other relationship issues at RelationshipEbooks.com
