A first date is always a turning point for a couple. Whether there will be a chance for a new relationship or not entirely depends on how it goes. This moment is extremely exciting for both of them, and anxiety is one of the most common reasons people make mistakes on a first date. Another reason is a simple lack of preparation and a misunderstanding of how to make a good impression on a potential partner.
Today we’ll look at some of the most common first date mistakes that people make, both men and girls. We advise you to familiarize yourself with them and avoid them in any way you can.
TOP 7 mistakes first date mistakes
- Mistake 1: You are constantly distracted by your smartphone
Perhaps the worst thing you can do on a first date is to constantly be distracted by your phone. This behavior only indicates that you’re simply not interested in a person. And there’s no doubt they’ll never go on a second such date with you.
We advise you to turn off all unnecessary notifications on your smartphone during a date, do not scroll through Twitter or Facebook, and do not text someone unless it is something really urgent. It’s better not to take your phone out of your pocket at all unless it’s absolutely necessary. Of course, there are situations when you need to be distracted by a smartphone. But do it tactfully, explain to your date that you need a minute, resolve all issues and continue the date.
- Mistake 2: You choose the wrong place to meet
A good choice is a quiet, cozy cafe or restaurant. Even a leisurely walk in the park can be a good option. But it’s better to avoid noisy places and crowded eating areas — where you simply can’t communicate normally.
A trip to the cinema also isn’t the best solution, as you’ll just spend one and a half to two hours in silence. And if you try to communicate while watching, then it will be very annoying to those around you. You don’t want your first date to be remembered for a row at the cinema, do you? We assume not.
- Mistake 3: You drink too much alcohol
For many, alcohol helps liberate themselves and become more confident and open in front of an unfamiliar person. In general, a glass of wine on a romantic date is okay. But you definitely shouldn’t lean on alcoholic drinks — otherwise, in the eyes of a potential partner, you may not look like the most promising option for a relationship.
By the way, now completely non-alcoholic dates are becoming more and more popular. People often meet on weekdays or weekend mornings so that there’s no temptation to indulge in alcohol. We advise you to follow this trend. Nothing good, except for short-term self-confidence, can be found at the bottom of a bottle.
- Mistake 4: You start talking about a past relationship
A big blunder on a first date is discussing your past relationship. Such conversation can show your date that you harbor a grudge or still cannot come to terms with the breakup of this relationship.
You may think that such a discussion should flatter the other person, implying they’re better than your previous partner. But your date may think that in the future, they also might be the object of such an unpleasant discussion. To put it mildly, they will not like this prospect.
- Mistake 5: You don’t look right
Of course, it’s not at all necessary to dress for a first date as if it were a wedding reception. But it is still worth being clean and tidy. A wrinkled old T-shirt faded jeans, and just-woke-up hair is definitely not what your potential partner wants to see on a first date.
Put yourself in order, and dress comfortably and neatly — not too flashy, but not dull either. We are sure you can find suitable things in your wardrobe. Remember that the first impression of a person is formed largely based on their appearance. And if it is repulsive, everything else fades far into the background.
- Mistake 6: You immediately start to talk about future plans
There’s an opinion that any relationship needs to be “pushed” in one way or another in order for it to develop. This is true, but you need to act correctly. If on the first date you are already starting to discuss moving in together, how many children you want to have and which country to go to on your honeymoon, this will only scare off a potential partner
Firstly, your chosen partner’s plans for the future may be very different. Secondly, undue haste is sometimes very alarming. And thirdly, such discussions can make you seem too self-confident in the eyes of the other person. And excessive self-confidence definitely does not suit anyone.
- Mistake 7: You build too high expectations for the first date
We all want to meet the perfect person. We all expect that the first date will go well, followed by the rapid development of a romantic relationship. But let’s be realistic: not all first dates end in a second.
Of course, you should be positive, but you don’t need to idealize everything that happens and expect that today your life will change forever. You have yet to get to know the other person and understand their character, interests, and quirks. Do not overestimate your expectations so as not to face severe disappointment in the future. Try to see the first date as one of the stages in the development of a relationship. Important, but far from the only one.
Online dating: what rules apply?
We live in the era of online dating and a huge variety of different communication formats. Who said that the first date should always be held offline? Nobody!
A date via webcam will give you much more freedom and will allow you to avoid a number of typical mistakes. However, everything we wrote above applies to online dating as well.
In any case, we recommend starting with video dating. It will at least save you a lot of time and give you a very clear understanding of what kind of person is in front of you and whether you are ready to continue building a relationship with them.
We also want to recommend random webcam chat as a dating format. Here you communicate via video as default and quickly get to know the person, their character, demeanor, and interests. Pay attention to the webcam chat apps, including Chatspin, Chatrandom, and CooMeet — they have proven themselves well, and the audience for these sites is really huge. If a more classic dating site is closer to who you are, you can take a look at well-known dating services with video chat functions — Tinder, Badoo, Bumble, and others. The choice is simply huge, so you definitely won’t have any difficulties finding a suitable site.
A first date shouldn’t be scary!
It doesn’t matter if you meet offline or use live cam chat. Anxiety before a first date is completely normal. It will surely pass with time, when you get to know each other better, find common topics and points of contact with the other person.
If you feel that you’re not yet ready for a real meeting, it’s time to communicate via webcam chat. By staying in the comfort of your own home, you will feel more confident and free. And after several such online dates, the first offline meeting will be much more enjoyable and interesting for both of you. Good luck!
