1. Things you should consider when you go on a date with an online partner
So, you met someone online, chatted for a while and are now curious to meet him or her in person? Well, meeting someone offline can be a different ball game altogether and requires you to do a bit of homework. Here are a few tips that will help you to have a good experience and avoid awkward moments.
2. Talk to the person over a call before meeting
Sometimes, people tend to have completely different offline personalities from what they project in their online profile. Someone who seems to be an extrovert and chatty on a dating app might struggle to strike a conversation when you meet in person. It is always better that you talk a few times with your date over a call and get an idea about his personality. It would also help you to develop a rapport and comfort level before you meet each other.
3. Safety matters
Whenever you are heading out to meet someone for the first time, you have to keep your safety and security in mind. Therefore, make sure you choose a restaurant or cafe you are familiar with and don’t make plans to go to an unfamiliar place. To be on a safer side, share the contact number of your date and the address of the venue with at least one friend.
4. Research online before meeting
Put your stalking skills to some good use and try to extract some more information about your online crush from the Internet. First, it would help you to cross-check the information the person had shared with you earlier. Second, you would get to know his areas of interest, places he has visited, his lifestyle and in turn, you can have a better conversation when you meet.
5. Ask the right questions
It’s important to start the first conversation with something positive. It can be about the nice ambience of the café, personal goals or anything meaningful. It would help you both to get comfortable and open up for further conversation. It’s good to have a candid discussion but make sure you don’t ask too many personal questions. If everything goes well, you will surely have other dates to ask such questions, isn’t it?
6. Money matters
Irrespective of your gender, you should offer to Dutch the amount of the bill. It sets the right example. Also, if you plan not to meet the person again, you will never feel guilty of letting him pay the entire bill.
7. Don’t forget to have a good time
The idea of going on a date is to have a good time and get to know each other. Therefore, try to be yourself and don’t overdress and step out of your comfort zone just for the sake of impressing someone. Don’t get anxious thinking about what is going on in your date’s mind or whether you would go on a second date with him or not. The other person would enjoy your company only when you are confident and comfortable.
8. Take your time to understand the person better
Many of us tend to form an impression immediately after meeting someone for the first time. This is where we start heading the wrong path. Remember, you can only get a basic idea about your date after meeting once and there is a probability that you have judged him or her wrong. For instance, you might tag your date as ‘boring’ but in reality, he might be an introvert and simply needs some time to open up. Hence, before coming to any conclusion, make sure you have met him multiple times and have taken enough time to understand him better as a person.