What Is Good To Know About The First Date

By Margarita Nahapetyan

Getting ready for a first date can be quite hard and nerve-wracking, even for the most mature and sophisticated individuals. The best thing to do is to take it easy and tell yourself that you are going to have fun no matter what happens. Once you decided for yourself that you are going to spend a good time, then most probably it will happen that way.

Of course, it is very important to make a good first impression, but the best thing is just to be yourself. However, it will not hurt to find out a little more about how to prepare for a first date which could be the best experience for both people involved.

First of all, ensure yourself that you are going to enjoy your date. Never be afraid to suggest an alternative if you don't feel comfortable about the place you were invited to go. It will work out much better if you agree on a place which will be exciting, comfortable and affordable for you. It is nice to go to more or less familiar places to avoid surprises, such as new restaurant with exotic food, for example. You will not want to spend half of your date in the bathroom, suffering from gastric pain. And, you definitely will not want to be nervous all through the evening thinking about a crippling bill if this is a first time you came to this place. Also, a big no-no to movies on the first date. How can you possibly get to know each other if you spend most of the time in silence?

People are often panicking that the first date will be accompanied by awkward silences, however if you prepare yourself a little, it will go a long way. It might be useful to read a couple of newspapers to be able to talk about current news, or some show business gossip. It might help to engage your companion in some interesting conversation. If you didn't have time to read and really are nervous about the subject to talk about, the safest questions to ask your date will be about her/his day, or just about her/his favorite movie or TV show. You could also ask questions about the menu, food or wine they enjoy, your journey there, their work, whether they enjoy it, etc.

It is important to be a good listener, especially for a woman. The purpose of this strategy has two reasons. First, men do not like women who talk too much. They need the opportunity to shine in her eyes telling her all the believable and unbelievable impressive stories. Second, allowing men to orate gives women a good chance to see their strong and weak points. Therefore, lot of valuable information can be obtained while listening.

Now let us see as to what is more appropriate to wear on the first date. It is always better to know where you are planning to go in advance in order to dress accordingly. Comfortable, casual clothes and shoes will do for most occasions. Men should avoid wearing any kind of sweat shirts or T-shirts, as well as jeans. Some experts suggest that it is not desirable for women to wear sexy clothes, such as too short dresses with open cleavage, unless the intention is to finish the romantic evening together in bed.

Men should not forget to arrive in time and not to let their lady wait for them on a first date. Conversely, women should not keep men waiting while they are getting ready. Good manners should be kept in a man's mind, such as opening doors and letting a woman pass first or pulling out a chair for her. It is desirable to bring a woman flowers, and even if you don't know which ones are her favorite, you cannot go wrong in pleasing her with your bouquet. Man must pay for the everything. Even if the lady suggests to split the bill, or to pay some part of it, man should not accept the offer.

Both men and women must remember that the first time is not the time to discuss any personal misadventures or failures. Nobody will want to come to a romantic date and start listening about cheating ex-es, alcoholic parents, crazy managers, psychological problems, etc. Your date is not your therapist, so you rather keep your sense of humor, entertain your companion and they will get more attracted to you.

Try not to focus only on yourself during the evening - ask your date questions about himself/herself, then listen to the replies too and don't just look for an opportunity to start discussing yourself. Do not talk about your job for more than a few minutes - while your own work is a fascinating subject for you, it might not be that fascinating for someone else. Do not ever talk about dates and relationships you have had with other people or your ex-es.

It is not desirable to have an endless first date. The plate should be finished with a feeling like you want just a little more. Most dates end with a kiss at the end of the night. A lack of a kiss may indicate that there is not an intimate relationship to follow. If this happens don't get disappointed and be satisfied in knowing that you have just made yourself another very good friend!