Besides the palpable excitement surrounding a first date, another emotion that reigns high is fear.
And it’s quite normal for a person to worry about how the first date might turn out because the future of a relationship (in case there are more dates after that) depends on that first meeting.
From carefully selecting a place to wearing the perfect clothes, every decision is made after considerable deliberation.
However, even after doing everything perfectly, why do some first dates lead to disappointments? Well, there is no one answer to this seemingly easy question.
What we can suggest are a few easy-to-do things that will increase the chances of turning a first date into a romantic and pleasant experience.
1. Be punctual
The first and most sacrosanct rule to follow on a first date, in fact all dates, is to be punctual. Never be late or keep the other person waiting; worse still don’t ever stand your date up! Coming late to a date is the perfect recipe for a disastrous start and remember the old adage, “first impression is the last impression.” Moreover, when you keep someone waiting it not only makes the other person angry but also shows or disregard or lack of respect for his or her time.
2. Wear what’s appropriate
If you are paying a lot of attention to what to wear on a date, you are going in the right direction. However, just paying attention is not enough because you also need to know what’s appropriate and to do that it’s important to take into consideration the place where you are meeting, the time, etc. Also, wearing something flashy or something that makes you ill at ease might not be a good choice. Wear something which makes you comfortable and at the same time is appropriate for the occasion.
3. Pay a compliment when you meet your date
It is always a good idea to pay a nice compliment when you meet the person for the first time on a date. However, be careful with your words because if you overdo a compliment, it might end up sounding like flattery, which might end up doing more harm than good. So, be honest about what you want to say and avoid commenting on anything that’s personal or might sound like flirting.
4. Be an attentive listener
A lot of people are not good at doing this—being an attentive listener. Sometimes, we get so overwhelmed by our intention to impress someone that we almost end up talking a lot without giving the other person a chance to express his or her opinion. Also, just being a passive listener will not do the trick, you need to be attentive as well. Asking questions and sharing your views after listening to what your date said, will show that you are an attentive listener, which would definitely impress the other person.
5. Always end the date on a good note
There are so many things that might go wrong or against your expectations. But that does not mean you should end the date abruptly or leave the person just after a few minutes citing some very silly reasons. Remember, the date is as much about the other person as it is about you. In case you are very disappointed by how things turned out to be, it does not mean you should make the other person feel sorry about it, right? Always, end the date on a good note although you never want to have a second date with the same person. Do not make false promises like ‘I will call you’, ‘We will meet soon’ etc. in case you have no intention of doing so.
