When you’re being set up on a blind date, things could go either way: you might have a fun experience or you might end up cursing your matchmaker. Even if the outcome of the situation isn’t completely up to you, there are many things you can get right or wrong.
Check out the best tips for a successful blind date and discover how you can make the most out of the situation even if you find there’s no chemistry between you and your date.
Don’t Go In With a Negative Attitude
If you start cringing the moment you hear the words “I have a friend…”, you’re setting yourself up for a negative experience. Try to stay positive about your date. Even if they don’t end being someone you want to see again, your date’s best friend could be your soul mate.
Have a Say In Planning the Date
Before you agree to a time and place, one of the best tips is to contact your future date, and see if they’re already working on some plans for the date. It’s always best to keep it short and meet in a public place where you don’t depend on your date for getting back home. Start with an email exchange before you move on to a call and making definitive plans for the date. Drinks are better than dinner, since you’re not stuck until your main course gets to the table.
Be Your Best Self
There are a lot of ways in which you could sabotage your date without even realizing it, then end up blaming the other person for the bad time you had. Blind date etiquette is all about being pleasant and polite, and avoiding long discussions about your many achievements or getting into heated arguments about politics or religion. Paying attention to your phone during the date is also pretty rude.
Manage Your Expectations
Even if the matchmaker is promising you the best guy or gal you’ve ever met, you never know if you’ll click with a complete stranger, so don’t go in expecting to be swept off your feet. Even if your date doesn’t fit your physical ideal, one of the most important blind date tips for an enjoyable evening is to stay open and avoid dismissing them at first sight before spend your time wondering how soon you can leave.
More: 5 Old Fashioned Dating Rules That Still Apply
Ask Open-Ended Questions
One of the most important blind date tips for an enjoyable evening is to keep the conversation going. Don’t ask yes or no questions. Instead, make them open ended and listen to your date.
Google Your Date, But Don’t Tell Him/Her You Did
It’s always a good idea to learn more about your date than your matchmaker is willing to share. Don’t send a Facebook friend request to your date before meeting them, and do not tell your date you did your online research. However, you can use it to start a discussion about something you’ve confirmed they’re passionate about.
Find a Balance Between Talking About Yourself and Listening
Many people start rambling when they’re feeling nervous, but you should always aim for an equilibrium when it comes to monologues, or even better, don’t keep talking about yourself, when you get no reaction. Your date might simply be listening because they feel it would be rude to interrupt, not because they’re actually interested.
Focus On the Things You Have In Common, Not Your Differences
Finding the common ground is one of the most useful blind date tips for an enjoyable evening. Whether it’s pets, movies or TV, you’re bound to have something in common. Explore it with a pleasant conversation instead of saying to yourself that you’d never date someone with different taste in music.
Never Gossip About the Matchmaker or Other Common Acquaintances
This is a golden rule that can’t be stressed enough. Keep the conversation about mutual acquaintances as generic as possible, so you don’t end up sharing stuff they would not want shared or even worse, make them feel insulted if what you say ever gets back to them.
Stick to a Two Drink Maximum
Making sure you’re making decision with a clear head is definitely one of the best blind date tips for an enjoyable evening. Even if you date insists you have more, politely refuse.
Have an Exit Strategy
In the best case scenario, you’ll end up wanting to spend more time with your date that you originally planned. However, having an exit strategy (like a call from a friend 20 minutes into the date) is among the most important blind date tricks.
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