By this point, we’ve all gone on enough first dates to know what to expect.
While the potential prospects may vary depending on your mood and “type” of the week, the drill usually remains the same: you agree to meet for a drink or dinner. It’s easy, and you’ll get to chat.
Here are 11 most common first date traps to avoid…
1. Planning too Far in Advance
Everyone’s beyond busy these days, and it’s difficult enough to arrange to meet your best friend for a drink, let alone commit a few hours to a stranger. But, as actively dating single YPs know, anything can happen in the dating world in a matter of weeks. Meaning, if you schedule a date two weeks from now, you could have already fallen for someone else in that time. Not to mention, something fun could come up with people you actually know.
2. Opting for a Friday or Saturday Night
It’s never a good idea to book a first date on a Friday or Saturday night. Not only is that special weekend real estate reserved for your nearest and dearest, the fact that neither of you have to work the next day may invite more alcohol consumption and less of an excuse to make the date short and sweet.
3. Going for Saturday Brunch
Most brunch spots are busy, loud, and complete with an inevitable lineup. Not only will you be strained to hear what the other is saying, you’ll feel rushed thanks to the server’s desire for a constant turnover of tables. Plus, if you see anyone you know, they may assume the two of you spent the night together.
4. Going to Your City’s Newest Hotspot
Your city’s latest hot spot is a horrible idea for a first date. For one, it’s a major production, and you’ll be preoccupied checking out the crowd, décor and menu rather than paying attention to your date. Not to mention, the place is likely overpriced – a hit to your wallet to someone you’re not even sure about. And you will see people you know.
5. Going for Tapas
The positive about opting for a tapas place is that it facilitates a degree of interaction and inspires conversations regarding the food. But, unless you get lucky, the whole deciding on tapas part could get awkward when you have absolutely no idea about the likes, tastes, and allergies of the other person. One of you is going to end up pretending to like something.
6. Wasting Too Much Time Discussing the Mutual Friends You Know
It happens to the best of us. Five minutes in, you discover a crucial piece of information about the other person – like where they went to high school – and spend the next half hour playing the “do you know X, Y, or Z” game, complete with commentary about the people you both know.
7. Revealing Too Much Information About Your Ex
It’s difficult for questions of previous relationships not to come up. And, for a lack of conversation, it’s simple to venture into too much detail as to why your relationship worked or didn’t – complete with all the good, bad, and ugly memories. Would you want your ex telling a complete stranger all the dirty details about your relationship?
8. “Pitching” Yourself
It’s not always easy to keep the conversation cool and natural on a first date – especially if he or she looks better than you remembered. But the last thing you want a date to feel like is an audition or job interview to be somebody’s boyfriend or girlfriend. Don’t make the conversation a sales pitch about yourself.
9. Making it a Business Meeting
Just as you should avoid spending time pitching yourself, don’t turn what could have been a lovely little first date into a business meeting once you realize that the other can benefit you somehow professionally.
10. Getting too Drunk
We shouldn’t even have to tell you why drinking too much on a first date is a horrible idea. If you feel like keeping your buzz going, meet a girlfriend or buddy for a post-date nightcap instead.
11. Reading Too Deep into it
We get it; in our cities, “great” dates can be an extreme rarity. But, even if it was the best date you’ve had in years, don’t read too deep into it. Just schedule a second date soon.
#NOTABLE
Cover image from: istock.com/fcscafeine
Want more updates on the most Notable things happening so you know before your colleagues do? Get our exclusive newsletter here and follow us on Twitter for all the latest.