Picture this: You have plans to meet up with this guy who you've been talking to for a while. It's not long before you leave for your first "official" date. What could possibly go wrong? You're so nervous that you can feel the sweat dripping down your forehead. You start to panic. You can't figure out what to wear and the clock is ticking. Days have turned into hours, hours turn into minutes.
You finally get your sh*t together. Fresh out of the shower, legs shaved, hair and make-up done, you look at yourself in the mirror one last time. You ask yourself, "Am I ready for this?" You'll soon find out.
As you get ready to leave, an endless amount of questions consume your thoughts: "What if the date goes poorly?" "What if he thinks I'm socially awkward?" "What if I just stay home?"
We can all agree that the thought of dating can be a scary one. No matter how much experience you have in the dating world, first dates are always unknown territory. Even if you already know the person, the results could be disastrous, and if you barely know the person, you have no idea what you're in for.
Ladies and gentlemen, you don't have to freak out every time you get asked out on a date. You'll get through this. My advice to you? Think of first dates like job interviews.
Now, I don't mean dress professionally every time you go out. You'll probably get weird looks if you do. Just think, like a job interview, your goal is to get to know the person better and determine whether they're a good fit for you.
And how do you do that? You talk yourself up. Make your date think that you're a badass. Tell them you've cured cancer, ended world hunger, or climbed the Appalachian mountain.
Alright, so maybe I'm overexaggerating. As cliché as it sounds, honesty is the best policy. You definitely want to talk yourself up, but don't go overboard. Just like you're unlikely to do well at a job you're unqualified for, it's unlikely that you'll have a long lasting relationship if you aren't honest with the person.
Most importantly, don't forget to have fun. What's the worst thing that happens? You get to know the person and realize you're better off as friends? Maybe the date goes spectacular and you score another date? Or maybe the date goes terribly and you have a good laugh about it (or in my case, write an article about it).
Remember, just like you don't always accept the job, you don't always have to accept a second date. With that in mind, don't wear white clothes if you plan on ordering pasta or wine. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience.
Sheetal Tadiparty
Flickr Creative Commons
