{"id":17235,"date":"2018-08-19T01:00:48","date_gmt":"2018-08-19T08:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/datemixstaging.wpengine.com\/?p=17235"},"modified":"2021-10-29T03:02:14","modified_gmt":"2021-10-29T10:02:14","slug":"what-to-do-on-a-first-date","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zoosk.com\/date-mix\/dating-advice\/first-date-tips\/what-to-do-on-a-first-date\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Do on a First Date to Get to a Second"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Usually, on a first date, we\u2019re trying so hard to make a good impression, that we\u2019re not even thinking about anything other than the moment we\u2019re in. And that\u2019s ok. But if you\u2019re on a first date and having a great time with this person, and you know you want to see them again, its useful to know what to do on a first date<\/span> to all but guarantee yourself a second one.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s <\/strong>what to do on a first date<\/strong><\/span>…<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be playful
<\/b>It\u2019s totally normal and understandable to be nervous on a first date. You don\u2019t know this person, and you have no idea how this is going to play out. But that doesn\u2019t mean you need to act like you\u2019re on a job interview.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s so important to be playful when you first meet someone, and not take yourself or life too seriously. So don\u2019t over do it with probing questions\u2014there\u2019s plenty of time to still get to know each other. The aim is for this to be an open conversation, not an inquest. Let things flow, and see what happens. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might think it\u2019s important to get all your serious questions answered straight away, so you know if this person is serious about wanting a long term relationship instead of a hook up, but even if they answer exactly the way you want them to, you still can\u2019t know who they really are after one date.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talk about something meaningful.<\/b>
\n<\/b>First dates can become repetitive and boring if you\u2019re not consciously talking about interesting and exciting things. Questions like, \u201cwhat do you do?\u201d and \u201cwhere are you from?\u201d will only take you so far, and they won\u2019t help you to get to know someone\u2019s personality.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t be afraid to share something personal (within reason), and be vulnerable on the first date, or discuss something close to your heart. Take a risk, see what happens, and where things lead. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be confident.
<\/b>This is perhaps the single most important part of knowing what to do on a first date. Even if you don\u2019t feel confident, you need to act like you\u2019re a confident person. The more you do this, the more you\u2019ll actually become confident. Men and women are both attracted to confident people who feel good about themselves and know their worth.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give yourself a pep talk before the date, make sure you make an effort to look and feel your best, and remind yourself of all the reasons why you\u2019re awesome\u2014because you are.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pay attention to your body language.<\/b>
\n<\/b>When you\u2019re nervous, you might end up talking really fast, or crossing your arms, and doing things with your face or body that are signaling to your date you\u2019re not interested. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a few key things to remember: Smile a lot. Lean forward when your date is talking. Make eye contact. Make sure your body is open to them (so avoid folding your arms or crossing your legs) and facing them. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t get (too) drunk.
<\/b>You can plan what to do on a first date meticulously, but if you get too drunk it’ll be for nothing. A drink or two might be really good to calm your nerves and help the conversation flow more naturally on the first date, but you want to make sure you don\u2019t get drunk. If you\u2019re a woman, you need to make sure you\u2019re thinking about your safety, because you really don\u2019t know this guy is a nice guy yet. And for both men and women, you don\u2019t want to get so drunk you sound, er, well\u2026 like a drunk. Being tipsy is one thing, being sloppy is another. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So know your limits, and make sure you\u2019re drinking plenty of water in between your drinks. Politely decline if they want to get another found and you know it\u2019s going to push you over the edge. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be yourself.<\/b>
\n<\/b>There are probably a ton of articles out there trying to tell you who you need to be in order to have a successful first date, but that\u2019s bullshit. All you need to be is yourself. Because when you are, you\u2019ll naturally attract the right person, who values your qualities and quirks. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you try to impress someone by pretending to be who you think they want you to be, you\u2019ll only end up having to wear a mask in your relationship, which is eventually going to slip off. And who knows what this person is looking for anyway? So always be yourself, and stay true to who you are.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anticipate a second date.
<\/b>As they say, whether you think you can or you can\u2019t, you\u2019re right. So if you go into this date believing you\u2019re going to get a second one<\/a>, you\u2019re halfway there.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This way, you\u2019ll refrain from blurting out everything you want to know about this person and going a hundred miles an hour, because you assume you\u2019re going to have another opportunity to chat. This will also help you show up more, be present in the moment, and actually listen to what your date is saying. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read how the date is going.<\/b>
\n<\/b>You don\u2019t know this person, so you don\u2019t know how they\u2019re going to respond to the conversation that comes up, or how they might behave. If ever you feel like your date is feeling uncomfortable, or disinterested, change the topic. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, if they seem to be having a great time, tell them you are too. There\u2019s no point in playing it cool and coming off as though you don\u2019t care when deep down you really do. If you\u2019ve only met up for a coffee, you might even want to continue the conversation over a drink or a bite to eat\u2014but pay attention to the subtle signals you\u2019re getting, as well as your gut instinct.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talk about the future.<\/b>
\n<\/b>This doesn\u2019t mean weddings and kids. If those topics naturally come up, great, but by the future, I mean the two of you spending more time together. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This depends on what comes up on the first date, but if you have shared interests like a band or a type of food, you might make plans to share something like that sometime soon. There\u2019s no rule that says you have to wait until after the first date to plan the second one\u2014but don\u2019t force it if it doesn\u2019t happen naturally.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let them know you\u2019re interested.<\/b>
\n<\/b>If you haven\u2019t already let your date know you like them by the end of it, make sure you do before you part ways. Give them a hug, or a kiss on the cheek, and tell them you had a great time and would love to see them again.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t wait too long to follow up.<\/b>
\n<\/b>Forget that stupid three day rule. Nobody does that anymore unless they\u2019re intentionally playing games. Text them or call them that evening and say you had a great time, and thank them for joining you. Suggest another time to meet within the next week, and tell them you\u2019re looking forward to it. Leave it too long, and you might find someone else has beaten you to it.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First dates can be nerve wracking, but they can also be incredibly fun and exciting<\/a>. If you\u2019re feeling the good vibes and are already excited about seeing this person again, great! Keep these tips in mind and see where things go.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re on a first date and you\u2019re already excited to see more of this person, there are a few ways to guarantee a second date.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":141,"featured_media":17236,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[884,892],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dating-advice","category-first-date-tips"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat to Do on a First Date to Get to a Second<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you\u2019ve found someone you like and you want to see them again, here\u2019s what to do on a first date to guarantee a second.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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