Dinner or drinks isn't a great first date
Dinner or drinks might seem like the safe option for a first date, but it's also the BORING option. The amount of first dates that revolve around having dinner or going for drinks means those dates eventually all blur into one and before long, you've exhausted all the local bars and restaurants in your town.
If you're worried about what you're going to talk about on your first date, sitting opposite someone with talking as the only activity will increase the pressure on you and the nerves might get to you. With an activity in place, you'll have something to keep you busy without the pressure of having to come up with topics, and the activity will take up some time and space within your date.
It doesn't matter if this date isn't your future husband!
Dating is about finding a partner, but it's not the primary function of a first date. The one thing you need to decide on after the first date is if you want to see this guy again. You aren't deciding if you'll marry him. So whether you see him for a second date or not, you want to have fun and do something a little different. As a single, dating is part of your social life and it's your opportunity to do activities you might not otherwise have someone to do with.
Try these 5 ideas to do something different for your first date
1. The FREE option: Museums and Galleries
Museums and galleries might not be your first thought when it comes to a first date but if you want to keep costs low (or even free) and you're over all the coffee and a walk dates since the COVID lockdowns, museums and galleries offer the next best way to take a casual walk together.
Most have free exhibitions to explore and whether temporary or permanent, you can go and see something amazing, be it artwork at the Tate, interactive tricks at the Science Museum of wonders at the Natural History museum, there's something for everyone to explore.
2. The TEAM TEST option: Escape Room
It's a bold first date option but escape room is a fun, interactive activity of solving puzzles and clues to crack the code and get out of the room. It's a test for how well you work under pressure, and communication too!
A video call before hand is going to be required to make sure you can actually communicate beforehand - there's nothing worse than being locked in a room for up to an hour with someone you can't even talk with. But so long as they pass the vibe check, you're good to take a risk on this first date option.
3. The SURPRISE option: Three Choices
Transform any first date option (including the boring ones) into something fun by turning up to your date with three cards labelled 1/2/3, a/b/c or if you want to go down some sort of Squid Game-like approach, circle/triangle/square.
On each of these cards is a different dating option, which can, for this one, include dinner or drinks - though go for the quirky and fun places in time to keep the excitement up. It's spontaneous and means neither person had to officially decided - you're just going where the night takes you, and you can always do one date night activity followed by another if you want.
4. The DO SOMETHING NEW option: Classes
Whether it's cocktail masterclasses or cooking competitions bake-off style, you can find a common interest between you and your date to go and learn how to make a particular cocktail, to find out about the different wines or make chocolate truffles.
There are plenty of bars and restaurants that carry these events out, whilst there are some great events taking place up town for duos to take part in together. This is the ultimate tick box for doing things you NEED another person with your to enjoy, without having to drag along unenthusiastic friends with you!
5. The CHEAP + CHEERFUL option: Quiz Night
What better way to find out what someone is into than going to a pub quiz night as a first date. You'll soon gather information on what they know about. Are they up to date with sports, or was their daily review of the Daily Mail enough to get you through the News round?
It's an easy team event to work on together, whilst giving you an insight into the other person's interests, and it's literally an instant prompt for bring up topics of conversation without you even having to think about it!
Listen to the Episode #83 in full of The Single Girl's Guide to Life: First Date Tips for a Fun + Memorable Experience
If you want want to find out more on how to stop wasting time in dating and to start dating the right guys for you, download my free no-bs dating guide here.
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