First Date Conversation Tips

Meeting someone offline for the first time is an incredibly nerve-wracking experience; forget interview nerves, public speaking anxieties and exam worries – this a whole new kettle of fish. For two reasons; there’s always the worry that your date isn’t who they say they are (we’ve all seen Catfish, right?) and the second reason…we’re about to spend a couple of hours being judged on our personality and appearance…ouch.

So why the hell do we do it? As well as being a little bit terrifying, first dates can also be really, really fun. You’re about to meet a whole new person and the positive possibilities that could happen are endless. So let us help you calm those nerves and get prepared for what might be quite a wonderful time…

Quick Tips

Listen as Much as You Talk
Conversations are a two way thing; you might pride yourself in being socially brilliant due to your ability to talk and talk and talk, but on a date be wary…

There should be an equal exchange between the two of you, like a tennis match. Let the conversation go back and forth – and listen with genuine interest.

Don’t Reveal Too Much Too Soon
Should the date go well, you’ll have a lot of time to discover more about the other person; peel the onion as they say (don’t rip it apart with your bare hands). First dates are for interesting and intriguing conversation – you don’t need to learn everything about their past, their future and their bathroom habits in that first meeting.

Ask Questions!
If the conversation ever lulls, a sure way to fire it up again is with thought-provoking questions. Topics that will encourage further discussion are the winners here, so ask a few nice little questions..

• What's your favourite place in the world?
• What's your favourite movie of all time?
• Do you have Netflix? (….roll on a two hour discussion about how JUST.AMAZING Breaking Bad and House of Cards are...)

img src:The Best 27 Memes of Breaking Bad (Buzzfeed)

Topic to Steer Clear Of and their Better Halves

1) Bad Topic: Politics
Don’t talk too deeply about politics, it can be a sensitive subject for some and an argument on the first date is definitely not ideal.

Good Topic: The News
Talk about what’s in the papers. Current affairs are relevant to everyone and could promote some interesting and thoughtful conversation.

2) Bad Topic: Previous Relationships
Your date wants to learn about you, not about your ex-boyfriend / girlfriend. The first date is not the time to reveal deep info about your relationship history.

Good Topic: Relationships in general
Some people might disagree, but there’s no reason why you can’t have a light-hearted conversation about what you think are important things in a relationship. And this is also a good time to discover (subtly) whether your date is looking for a casual or a more long-term thing.

3) Bad Topic: Negativity
Ok, not so much a topic but too many, ‘I hate this….that’s horrible….this is rubbish’ will make your date think you’re a little bit miserable.

Good Topic: Positivity!
Talk about your hobbies and interests, being passionate about something is an attractive quality.

We hope you found these little tips useful – but the most important thing is to relax and be the best version of you. Your first date happened because you both liked each other online and wanted to find out more – so you're already off to a great start.

And if you’re REALLY nervous, just copy Bruce’s trick…

 

So now you know how to rock that first date, head on over to Flirtify and get one set up!