Meeting someone new for the first time? You don’t have to sweat out so much. Don’t be afraid to get to know them, try not to give any hints.
Give the person your contact information so that you can get in touch after the date.
Remember, you’re both on a date, so have fun!
If you see others around you looking as if they’re having a good time, then feel free to join them.
Whatever you do – just be yourself! Don’t try to pretend otherwise.
Personal story account:
Hey there,
As a single guy who’s been on his share of blind dates, I’d have to agree with TeeLee, that really was one of the worst ever. It sounded like you guys were setting each other up for failure from the beginning. And I don’t know how I missed your intro post, but man was I glad to see you changed the location and venue from what you originally planned! Anyway, here goes.
What do people mean by a “blind date”? Let’s clear that up right now. A blind date is a date with someone you have never met before, don’t know much about, and have no idea what their personality is really like. The other kind of date is a setup. A “setup” is a date that comes from mutual friends/acquaintances who have set you up with someone they know. Setup dates are much more likely to go well because you know at least something about the person beforehand.
What are some tips for having a good blind date?
Things to do when you are meeting them for the first time
–Make sure you can do something that requires some energy and thought (dinner, drinks, etc). Don’t decide on just going to see a movie or taking in an art exhibit. Take a look at groups like Meetup.com for different kinds of activities or even just seeing what’s happening in your area (dances, movie nights, etc).
–Bring some conversation starters (stories, etc) for the other person to talk about. This is a good way to make them more likely to open up and be more honest with you.
–Think of something you can do together that will allow for both of you to have some alone time. For example, if I’m seeing someone I don’t know that well, and they mention something they’re doing alone as a couple with their partner at work (i.e. dinner, movie, etc), I feel awkward and can never get the conversation back on track until they say “oh, by the way, you should do this too”…
–Ask questions about their interests. If you’re seeing someone new and are interested in them, chances are they’ll be interested in knowing more about you too. Or if they don’t have something to talk about for awhile (i.e. if they don’t know much about you or vice versa), then turning a topic like that back around will help them feel more comfortable with talking more…
–If possible try to ask questions of your own starting out so that you can learn more about each other without having to be nosy or weird. For example, if you know they like a certain type of drink or food, you can talk about that in conversation. People love talking about themselves…
–If the other person is nervous with you (i.e. sweaty palms, stuttering a lot, etc), try to find a place where they can have a glass of water and loosen up for awhile. Or take them on an activity that takes their mind off of things…
–Stay calm and don’t take it personally if the other person doesn’t open up to you right away. Don’t think of it as them not liking you already but rather not knowing much about each other to begin with and needing some time to warm up (a.k.a. “there is no problem, there is nothing wrong, you are not being weird”). There’s nothing wrong with letting them know early on about who you are and what you’re looking for (i.e. “I’m looking to date someone who likes kids or has kids of their own”) — this will help them understand your personality better…
–Remember that you aren’t always going to be on your best behavior either (if they’re not comfortable with something, or if they’ve been nice to you but can’t seem to go beyond a certain point in conversation). The other person may be judging you and put off by it. Remember a couple of things when this happens: 1) Don’t take things personally.
Learn more about the person you’re meeting. Keep an open mind and be friendly
Smile
Get to know each other, ask him or her questions, take turns talking
Don’t talk too much about yourself
Be confident and positive – don’t try to be someone you’re not!
Keep eye contact, make sure they know you’re interested in them.
Be patient, it can sometimes take a while for people to warm up towards you.
If you happen to see food at the person’s place or a dish that looks good sitting on a plate then offer them some of your meal as well.