10 Great tips for a first date

Even if you’ve been many first dates before, a first date with a new man can be incredibly daunting. You want this one to go better than the last one because part of you truly and deeply believes that this one might be “the one.” You want to iron out all previous mistakes, sharpen up and impress the new guy in your life.

And if you’re a first-time first-dater, you’ll certainly be looking for some advice. Although first dates are exciting, they’re not always that easy to navigate. Preparing for one is like preparing for a job interview; we stress over what we should wear, what we should say, and whether or not it would be rude to do this or that.

To help you out, we’ve got 10 great tips for a first date. Let’s take a look!

Relax
The most important thing to remember is that, although preparing for a first date can be as stressful as preparing for a job interview, a first date is not a job interview. This means you don’t have to be formal, “professional,” and you don’t need to worry about showing your flaws. All you need to do is relax and be yourself.

Sounds easy? Well, lots of us go wrong when we put pressures on ourselves to be smart, funny and beautiful. Don’t get caught up in ideals and of trying to second-guess what he wants to see and just focus on showing him the real deal – YOU!

Dress To Impress
First impressions do matter, so you do need to dress smart. Although you’re not going out for an evening on the town, you are going out for a meal or a drink – and you are meeting a new man. So you need to impress him with the way you dress.

As said, you’re not going out for the night, so you don’t need to panic about wearing heels and a tight dress. Wear something that is comfortable, not too over the top, but which looks great.

Don’t Try To Prove Yourself
You’ve both obviously enjoyed enhancing messages, so it shows that he’s clearly interested in you. So why would you then decide to show up on a first date and spend a lot of energy proving yourself to him?

You’re not here to blatantly convince him you’re good enough for him. You’re not her to put yourself on a pedestal, and boast about this and that.

The truth is that he’s as nervous as you are. Spend time getting to know him and don’t say anything dishonest about yourself. It will only bite you on the bum later on.

Show Him Some Respect
A male friend of mine once told me about a disastrous date he’d been on. He said the girl showed up 20 minutes late and checked her phone too often.

It didn’t sound like a total disaster to me, and it might not sound like a total disaster to you. Indeed, his date told him that she loved their time together and wanted to meet up again. He didn’t, though.

Although women are well known for turning up late to things, it’s super important that you respect the guy by turning up to your date on time. Get ready early and make sure nothing is going to make you late. Although 20 minutes over the agreed time might not sound like much to you, it’s a lot to him. It creates a bad impression.

Listen To Him
Nobody wants to go on a date and not be listened to. If you don’t listen to him, you’ll struggle to keep the conversation going.

Pick up on things he says, ask interesting questions and add interesting stuff to the conversation. You’re here to get to know him, so the last thing you want to do is asking him at the end of the date for something he already told you 4 hours ago!

Switch Your Phone Off
There is truly nothing more disheartening than going on a date with someone who is constantly checking their phone. It’s even worse when they don’t just check their phone, but actually reply to messages too! It gives the impression that they’re not interested.

To make sure you aren’t tempted to check your Facebook news feed or sneak in a quick text while he’s at the bar, keep your phone switched off. He’ll certainly remember you as “the girl who isn’t obsessed with her phone.”

Ask Questions
Guys are expected to take the lead on first dates and ask questions about us. But they get seriously bothered when it turns out that they’re asking all the questions. They want you to jon in and ask them stuff, too!

It not only shows that you’re interested in them, but it also stops the conversation from petering out to the point where they ask really silly questions just to avoid the silence, such as “favourite colour?”

Poor guy!
Prepare With Some Conversation Starters
Just incase you freeze up on the date and can’t think of anything to ask, why not prepare beforehand with some neat conversation starter? In this way, you can ensure that there will no awkward silence.

You will also ensure that you don’t end up asking, “are you enjoying yourself?” halfway through the date. That really is clutching at straws!

Talk Naturally
It can be easy on a first date to fall into the usual first-date traps, such as asking too many questions. But you don’t want to sound like a robot who is programmed to simply ask questions.

So why not tell him some anecdotes? Tell him about yourself, give him some funny stories, and talk naturally like you do with friends.

Wait For Him To Make The First Move Afterwards

The date is over and you’re now back home. But the operation isn’t yet complete, because you could still make the mistake of texting him too quickly that you’ve had a great time.

Let him make the first move. If he had a great time, he’ll be in touch to let you know.

Stay happy!