When it comes to deciding where to take the first date, there’s no one size fits all answer. Just because you took one person to a jazz concert and she loved it, that doesn’t mean the next five first dates will love jazz too. The key is to do some pre-work before planning a date. A great way to do that is to have a pre-date.
A pre-date is a 30 minute or less meetup in which you get a feel for the person and determine whether or not you want to go all out for a real date with them. Whether you meet for coffee or a drink, pre-dates are awesome for online daters or any situation in which you haven’t actually met the person face to face. They give you a great opportunity to get a sense of someone’s energy, have a conversation and find something in common.
If a pre-date isn’t possible, it’s important to still do your pre-work. So, however you’re communicating, whether that’s by email, phone or text, be sure to ask your date open-ended questions to learn more about them. Questions like, “How do you usually spend your weekends?” “What are your hobbies?” and “What do you like most about this city?” can tell you a lot about a person’s interests.
Provided you like the person, once you find something in common, suggest a date around it. If you connect through art, go see an exhibit. If you both play tennis, hit the court. If you both love dogs, take your pups to the dog park together.
If you don’t seem to have any common interests, but you still like the person, plan a date around a community fair, food fest or theatre. Do something fun that only happens in your town.
The key is to customize your date to an interest that both of you share and make it fun. Whether you both love bowling or mac and cheese, do something you love and that first date will be a hit!
What are some first dates you’ve really enjoyed? Why?