Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2017
There are tons of information out there, telling you what to do and what not to do on a first date. However, meeting someone online and seeing them for the first time has both excitement and risks. Yes, you have messaged with this person back and forth and now you want to get to know them better. But first, there are things you should take into consideration. We live in a new age, where online dating has become the norm. However, there are still risk factors to think about and to be smart about. The first time you meet up may not be just a first date or you may not even want to call it a first date, rather a verification session where you are making sure they are who they claimed to be. Now let's see some tips for the first date.
Talk on the Phone Before You Meet Up
You should talk on the phone. Talking on the phone is one step closer to meeting up but just not there yet. Before you go in and meet them IRL you can gather more information on them and get a sense of who they are. At least get their full name and what they do before you go in and meet them. A person's voice can tell a lot about them and it could even be a deal-breaker for you so wouldn't you want to know who you are about to meet? So go on and call the lucky fella. Afterward, you could even Google them and see if they are who they claim to be so there aren't unexpected mismatches once you meet up. You may not want to give away your phone number and for that, there are a couple of apps and websites that give you a disposable phone number, and there you can comfortably talk.
The Red Flags
Beware of the red flags no matter how charming they are or how good-looking they may be. Watch out for anything that makes you feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or just weird. Trust your gut and be careful. Ignoring these signs can be very dangerous or just might end up breaking your heart.
Meet in a Public Place
Once you decide to meet up IRL, mostly for security reasons, decide on a public place where you can leave the location when you feel uncomfortable or a place where you can create an exit strategy. This adds a layer of security and can help you be less nervous. Additionally, if your date becomes a bore that exit strategy would come in handy.
Have Backup
Informing your friends on where and when you will be meeting your date, checking in with a friend or someone you trust, or giving the name and the phone number of the place to a friend can count as a backup. As long as you have someone watching your back you would feel less nervous and have that level of security on hand. First dates can be stressful as it is, so having some sort of backup can ease some of the extra stress off of your back and allow you to enjoy yourself and have a better time on your date.
Don't Leave Your Food or Drink Unattended
Since childhood, we have been warned by our parents, relatives, teachers, or even friends not to accept anything edible from strangers (except for Halloween obviously, the only time it's okay to accept candy from strangers). This rule which has been engraved in our minds since a young age would apply to this scenario as well. You may have chatted with this person online for a long time now, but that doesn't change the fact that they are still a stranger to you- don't forget that bit. So be cautious and don't accept any drinks from your date unless you open it yourself or see a bartender prepare it. There are roofies and other date rape drugs out there that are colorless and odorless so, be careful and keep an eye on your food and drink. We wouldn't want to think the worse of our date but we should not be too trusting either. There are too many horror stories out there on dates turning into different scenarios. Be safe and keep an open eye.
Don't Lie
We talked about how your date might lie and how you should not stand for that and leave. That applies to you as well. You may want to tweak some truths or just tell white lies, they may not even seem too big for you but can be a deal-breaker for your date. Also, you are hopefully going on these dates for someone you like to like back in the same way. But misrepresenting yourself could attract different kinds of people and that is counterintuitive to your end goal. Just be yourself and you will attract people who like you for who you are.
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For more articles, check out our blog posts. If you are ready to find the one for you, sign up or log in to your Waplog profile and date until you drop. Have fun.