Happy, nervous, excited, terrified. These are just a few feelings that come to mind when I think about first dates. First dates can be such an awkward thing.
Let’s go back to freshmen year for a minute and think back. We all had our fantasy crush—maybe he was that one upper classman in your Bible survey class or maybe she was that volleyball player in OBU connections. We all thought about the what-ifs, wasting hours daydreaming about the chance to go on a date with them.
And then, you wake up, and your chance has finally come. He asked you on a date and for your number, or maybe your dream girl said hi to you and the possibility of rejection falls just low enough to be worth the risk. The date is set. Your dreams are about to come true. Now what?
First off, first dates are the best way of getting to know each other. Therefore, you must BE YOURSELF. Don’t try to act like someone you aren’t just to impress your date. If they don’t like you for you, then it’s just not meant to be.
Next, stay calm! The truth is, your date is probably just as nervous as you. So sit back, try to relax and realize it is scary for the both of you.
Third, don’t be afraid to ask questions and get to know them. Since first dates are all about getting to know each other, go in with some questions already in the back of your mind. Think of open-ended questions that will allow for further explanation and give you deeper insight into who the person is.
Lastly, remember to enjoy yourself and have fun. Don’t worry about the future during the date. It’s your first date, anything could happen! Just sit back, enjoy yourself and live in that moment.
Even with these four tips, some dates are just destined to end badly. So what do you do when you are on a first date with someone you aren’t interested in, but you still wanted to give it a chance?
I think one of the most important things to do in this situation is go into the date with an open mind. Don’t go in thinking, “Well this would never work,” because you never know God’s plan for your life and people can always surprise you.
Make sure you take the time to really get to know them. They could be an amazing person that you have just overlooked. You won’t know that unless you truly try to get to know them.
While the dating scene is constantly changing, it seems that guys are still typically the more likely to ask girls out on dates. In light of this, here are some first date tips for guys (from a woman’s perspective):
(1) When asking a girl on a date, always do it in person. Don’t do it over a text and please do not do it over a DM. It takes a lot of courage for you to ask a girl out in person and that does not go unnoticed.
(2) Open the door for your girl when getting into the car and walking in restaurants. This is a sign of respect and shows the girl your momma raised you right.
(3) Make her feel special and compliment her. The truth is, she most likely just spent 2 hours getting ready, trying on every outfit in her closet for her friends. She’s nervous and she’s hoping you notice how she looks.
(4) Pay for the date. You asked her out, so show her you are glad she came. And lets be real, it’s just the gentlemen thing to do.
(5) Be thoughtful and creative, but don’t take her on some long, extravagant first date an hour from campus. Simple is always better. Just take her somewhere close and do something thoughtful that you think she would like. First dates can be awkward and if it’s not going well don’t try to keep dragging it on. A better plan would be to have different segments to the date. For example, if things are going well you might have a second part to the date. If not, and things are going downhill fast, you don’t want you (or your date) to feel pressured to keep it going.
In the end, first dates are something we will all experience at some time in our lives. So just sit back and enjoy the ride. At the very least you may have a funny story to tell about later.
Written by staff writer: Tiffany Lee
