Even if you try your hardest to have a perfect date, sometimes awkward moments just can’t be helped. Some of them can be laughed off, while others may make want to run and never see your date again.
No matter how weird your date gets, remember that it’s probably just one of the awkward dating moments everyone has. The best way to move on is to have a sense of humor about it, particularly if you have to laugh at yourself to move on gracefully.
1. Discovering You Have Very Different Expectations
There are a lot of ways in which your expectations can be mismatched, but nothing is worse than when one person is thinking they’re hanging out with a friend, and the other thinks they’re on a date. It really gets awkward if the reveal only comes at the end, when someone leans in for the kiss.
Try to make sure you’re on the same page early on to avoid this unpleasant situation.
2. Spilling Things
You don’t have to be clumsy to have an accident, and spilling a drink or food is one of the awkward dating moments everyone has. It’s bad enough if you spill something on yourself, but even worse if you do it on your date. You’ll be able to laugh at yourself if your clothes are the only thing that gets damaged, but hopefully your date will be a good sport too if the incident also affect him.
3. He Doesn’t Look Like His Picture
If you’re on a first date with a guy you met online, you could end up disappointed because his profile picture look very different from reality. Sometimes it’s easy to let it go and enjoy yourself anyway. If you actually feel cheated and you believe that you’ve represented yourself honestly and he hasn’t, the least awkward thing could be just walking away.
4. Revealing That You Did Your Research
While most people expect that someone they met online would google their name before the date, sometimes this can go a little too far. If you already know a lot more about him than he shared, try to keep it to yourself. Blurting out something that shows him you’ve spent a lot of time looking up details about him online is also one of the awkward dating moments everyone has.
5. Dealing with Bodily Functions
Whether it’s sweating, burping, a runny nose or an upset stomach in the worst case scenario, a lot of dates have been ruined by an unpleasant moment. Passing gas is definitely not romantic, but it’s something that everyone experiences, so laughing it off is the way to go.
6. Running Into Your Ex
Stumbling into someone you weren’t prepared to see is definitely one of the most awkward dating moments everyone has, particularly if it’s an ex. The best way to avoid the weirdness is to just let it go. If your ex or his ex comes over to say, don’t make a big deal out of it, and quickly resume your date.
7. Figuring Out a Total Deal Breaker
Few things are more unpleasant on a date than realizing that there’s a deal breaker. Do you stay and enjoy your meal or do you just leave so you don’t waste anyone’s time? Unless your date expresses opinions that offend you to your core, you might as well stay. It will get more awkward if you start pressing him about why he didn’t disclose earlier, or if you decide to confront him about it.
8. He Gets Called Away on an Emergency
When you’re on a first date and there’s an unexpected interruption, you can never really know for sure if he’s making it up because he just wants to end it or he has a real issue. It’s one of the awkward dating moments everyone has, but you’re better off giving him the benefit of the doubt when it’s something big, like a relative in the hospital.
9. Deciding Whether the Kiss Is Happening
While the first date kiss may the traditional, it doesn’t have to happen. Make sure that you decide before the end of the date if it’s happening, so there’s not awkward moment when he goes in and you just turn your cheek or just take a step back.
10. Not Enjoying the Kiss
Whether you have different kissing styles or it’s just not working for you, a bad kiss is one of the awkward dating moments everyone has. If something really embarrassing happens, it can be hard to recover from, but remember to keep it lighthearted.
