While dates can be hard to get, they are very easy to mess up. A little nervous or excited, we often act and talk on impulse, which can send the wrong message or distort our normal (and great, of course) personality. Avoid the missteps below so you don’t get sidestepped by a potential love match.
1. Talking Only About Yourself—When even the least arrogant of us get nervous, we often retreat to a topic we know well: ourselves. While one story about your dog Pickle is OK, too much Pickle will turn your date sour. If you feel like you’re carrying the conversation, take a load off by resorting to some basic questions, like “Where are you from?” or “What do you do for fun?” Sure, they’re cliché and predictable, but tried and true is better than all about you.
2. Talking Only About Your Ex—No one wants to hear about your ex’s annoying habits less than your date. It’s no big deal if you let one comment slip, but if you go off on a diatribe, you will look 1) crazy; 2) vindictive; 3) like you’re still in love with your ex. While #’s 1 and 2 may or may not be true, #3 is for sure and will make your date feel like you’re wasting their time.
3. Over-Boozing—While a drink or two is a great way to calm the nerves, six or seven will likely land you on an imaginary stage singing something by Journey. Even if you don’t go that far, you’re more likely to commit every other faux pa on this list if you’re drunk as a sailor. There’s nothing cute about puking out the car window on the way home.
4. Revealing a Bit Too Much—We mean this in terms of skin and scandal. If your skirt is shorter than Lindsay’s or your t-shirt so tight people see your man-nipples, your date will likely think you’re trashy, rather than sexy. In terms of scandal, there’s no need to reveal a felony-filled past or Asian porn obsession on the first date. The only thing this will do is prevent a second date.
5. Texting Like a Teen—Although you may have unlimited texts, you don’t have unlimited chances to impress your date. So even if your buddy is sending hilarious drunken texts, save the reading and response for home, which if you continue to text you will likely go to alone.
