Going on a first date is both nerve wracking and exciting, especially if your new to dating or have come out of a marriage or long-term relationship. Often the biggest impediment in finding your soul mate is overcoming first date nerves, and too many singles allow first date anxiety get the better of them, and resign themselves to a life of singledom.
Going on a first date with someone you’ve met on an online dating site is very different to a first date with a potential partner that you’ve previously met, and spoken to in person. No matter how brief the initial encounter was.
While it can be tempting to romanticise, and imagine that the personality of the person you have been messaging matches their personality, and that they look just as cute as their photos, managing expectations is an important aspect of online dating.
A better approach is to treat the first date as a meeting rather than a date, and express this expectation at the start of the date. This enables both parties to relax and get to know each other without the pressure to initiate physical contact with someone who a few minutes ago was a stranger.
After the first date, if you felt an attraction and connection, you can text or call to determine if the feelings you felt were mutual. If the feelings were mutual you can then arrange a time and place your first “real date” knowing that both parties have a mutual interest in each other.
Online dating sites are an efficient way to increase your dating pool, however it is unrealistic to expect that the chemistry on every first date will be there.
No matter how great someone’s profile looks on paper, and how intelligent and funny your potential partner was though the messages you exchanged. There is no substitute for face to face interaction to gauge real life compatibility.
Treating the first date as a meeting rather than a first date will not only reduce anxiety levels prior to the first date, it will also enable your date to relax and show the real version of themselves.
Too many people treat the first date as make or break. However, if chemistry is there, the second date is your opportunity to bring the charm in the comfort your partner has an interest in the real you, and not just your online dating profile.