20 Blind Date Tips For Your Next Tinder Date
First dates are always nerve-wracking, but they are especially so when you’ve only interacted with the person behind a screen. Allow us to help put your nerves as ease with these blind date tips:
1. Let Someone Know Where You’re Going
Safety first. You can never be too cautious when it comes to strangers, especially in today’s day in age with all the horror stories you hear on the news. Be sure to let a friend or family member know where you’re going and maybe even share your location with them once you get there.
2. Start With A Phone Call
Before actually going out on this date, you might want to consider talking to the guy on the phone first. This way you’ll get to hear his voice and start get a feel for how he is. By starting with a phone call, you won’t be going into this blind date completely blind.
3. Go To A Public Place
This ties in with our first safety tip. You definitely don’t want to be going to a private place like their house for the first date. Instead offer to meet somewhere public like a restaurant or a busy town near you.
4. Be Authentic
I know everybody says this, but it really is important to just be yourself on the date. You can’t expect the guy to get a real impression of you if you are not being yourself, and vice versa. Whether the date goes good or bad, you don’t want it to be because you weren’t being your true self.
5. Make Plans For After
It may make you feel better knowing you have legitimate plans for after your date just in case it doesn’t go well. Plan to do something with your friends, so if the date goes badly you have a real excuse to leave. Or if it’s going well, you can always push back or even cancel your plans with your friends.
6. Avoid Alcohol
While it can be tempting to have even just one drink to take the edge off of your nerves, it’s best to skip it. You want to be completely sober and in your right state of mind while you’re on this date. Not just for safety purposes, but also to best judge the guy to tell whether or not you’re interested.
7. Try Something New
Don’t be the girl who orders a salad on the date. If you’re going out to eat and a salad is the only safe option for you, branch out and try something new. Who knows, you might even like it. You found these blind date tips–listen to them. They’ll make your night much better, I promise.
8. Remember Good Hygiene
I’m sure this goes without saying, but it a little reminder can’t hurt. Especially if you sweat when you’re nervous, you might want to be a little extra mindful of your hygiene that day.
9. Dress To Impress
First impressions are everything. While you should definitely dress appropriately for where you’re going, you want to make sure you look nice. Besides, when you look good and like what you’re wearing, you come off as more confident even if you are drowning in nerves.
10. Have An Open Mind
It’s important to go into this date with an open mind. Overly high and unrealistic expectations are the quickest way to make the date go badly. While we all would love to be going out with Harry Styles, chances are you aren’t, so don’t expect that. Just be open and see where the night takes you.
11. Don’t Complain
Nobody likes a complainer. If you get on the subject of work, for example, and either party hates their job and starts to complain, just change the subject.
12. Learn
I mean, you are going on this date to learn more about each other, so do that. Ask questions and dive deeper into interesting topics.
13. Be Positive
This ties in with no-complaining blind date tips. If you happen to get on a subject that either party can start to complain about, make sure you put a positive twist on it before moving on. Nobody likes negativity. Positive vibes only.
14. Be Generous
Even if you don’t really want to pay, you should at least offer. If he says no, try offering to split it. At least then he will see that you are not just automatically expecting him to pay, even if you are.
15. Don’t Badger Him
While it’s good to offer to pay or at least split the bill, if he says no let it go. Take the free meal, say thank you, and move on.
16. Leave When You Want
The best blind date tips point you in the direction of comfort. If the date is going badly and you just want to leave, don’t feel badly for doing so. As long as you are polite about it, perhaps by using your friend’s excuse, there is nothing wrong with leaving whenever you want to.
17. Don’t Fill Every Silence
As much as we all dread awkward silences, it’s bound to happen at least once on the date. So instead of panicking, embrace it. Take a second to gather your thoughts and think about what you want to talk about next. That’s a much better option than blurting out the first thing that comes to mind just for the sake of filling the silence.
18. Remember Chemistry Can Grow
Don’t get discouraged if you aren’t immediately attracted to the guy. As long as the date went well overall, you got good vibes from him, and you weren’t completely turned off, there is hope. Sometimes it just takes a few times of going out before you get a better idea of whether or not you click with the person.
19. Don’t Take It Personal If It Goes Bad
Not everybody you meet is going to like you. That’s just the way it is. So if you sense he isn’t into you, don’t take it personally. You guys just didn’t click. Take it as another experience and move on.
20. Have Fun
Regardless of whether you think the date is going good or bad, just have fun. You’re there for at least a little while, so might as well make the best of it.
