7 Cringeworthy Things That Will Likely Happen On A First Date
I once fainted and peed my pants on a first date. Is that necessarily an awkward first date moment that will likely happen to you? Nope! But I just wanted everyone to know what I'm about and how good I am at dating.
Anyway, all first dates are really just fun, sexy job interviews where you could potentially meet (and hire) your soulmate. However, romance is a high-stakes game, and a lot can go wrong. You're nervous. You don't know what to talk about. You hope you chose a good location. Who is going to pay for dinner? Are you going to hook up? I'm in my head already, and I'm not even on a date.
To hep you prepare yourself for what might come, here are some cringeworthy things that will likely happen on a first date, that don't involve fainting and peeing.
1. You Have A Weird Introduction
One time, I wasn't sure if I was supposed to kiss, hug, or shake hands with my date, so I ended up doing an awkward dance move/the robot in front of him, and I practically wanted to die for the rest of the night. Additionally, if it's a blind date or a date offline, you might not necessarily recognize the person right away. I once had a guy walk right by me — twice — because he didn't recognize me in real life. I Facetune my photos that much. That's when I knew I had to stop filtering my photos for good.
Just know that the first few minutes are going to be the most awkward part of the date. So feel confident in that you're both equally nervous and that soon, the most cringeworthy part of the date will be over with.
2. You Don't Know How To Split The Bill
I am a firm believer that a man should pay for the first date. I am a prize. Pay for my burrito.
After years of dating, I've come to the point where I don't even reach for my purse and pretend that I'm going to split the bill. If you asked me out and I know for sure that our relationship is romantic, then you can treat me for our first dinner. (But of course, I will be polite, gracious, and say thank you.)
However, I once had a friend whose date requested that they go to a super nice restaurant that was majorly out of her budget. He then ordered a very expensive bottle of wine, appetizers, they each got a main course, and at the end, they finished it off with a dessert. She was super flattered to be wined and dined so nicely by a guy on the first date... until the check came, and he requested to — you guessed it — split the bill.
So most likely, you might have some cringeworthy moment when it comes to credit cards. My way to avoid it: Don't even attempt to pay!
3. The Restaurant Is Too Loud
If you're at a bar, restaurant, or out in public in general, at some point, it's going to get loud, and you won't be able to hear what your date is saying. You'll nod your head when your crush asked you a very specific question, or you'll respond saying "that's amazing!" when your date told you their grandma has been dead for five years.
A restaurant that's too loud can be a major conversation-vibe killer. But don't let it get to you. Make a joke out of it, laugh it off, and use it as an excuse to go somewhere else quieter. (So you can make out — not hear more about their grandma and stuff.)
4. You Have An Awkward First Kiss
I never know whether or not to kiss on the first date. I mean, I certainly don't want to force a kiss on my date if he's not interested. That is what my nightmares are made of.
Additionally, men don't really pick up women for dates anymore, so there are not a lot of kissing opportunities. They're not driving you home and walking you to your front door. And typically, they're not even walking you to your car after the date either, because you probably took an Uber there. And who wants to make out in front of their Uber driver? Would that get me a higher rating?
My belief is this: You should kiss on the first date. It solidifies your relationship as romantic, and steers you clear from the friend zone. So if you're into it, leave a little space for smooching, even if it's in front of your Uber driver. Hey, it will give you guys something to talk about on the way home.
5. Your Date Brings Up Their Ex
Oh OK, so you're notttttt over her yet. Great.
This is a major date red flag, but unfortunately, it happens a lot. Sometimes, people use dating apps as a way to distract themselves from their breakups in an attempt to get over their ex. But I am trying to find the love of my life here, not to be your free therapist!
If some is incessantly talking about his ex around you, then run. If I have learned one thing from dating, it's that there is no competing with a person who's still in love with their former flame.
6. One Of You Is Late
Occasionally, one of you will get lost going to the restaurant or have difficulty parking. Your Lyft driver might take a wrong turn, or maybe you spent a little bit too long getting ready, and now, you're running late. I once had a guy show up 15 minutes after we were supposed to meet, and I was convinced I was being stood up for the first time ever.
If you or your date is running late, make sure you let the other know somehow, so you aren't left thinking you've been ditched. Give a 10-minute grace period for parking and traffic. But if your date is 20 minutes late or more, that might be a red flag that they aren't considerate or respectful of your time.
7. Your Date Doesn't Look Like Their Pictures
Sometimes, 6'5" on a dating app looks a lot like 5'9" in real life. But listen, we all lie a bit. Do I smooth and filter out my acne before I post pictures up on the 'Gram? Absolutely. Have I been guilty of putting up photos where I definitely have longer hair and am about 15 pounds skinnier? Absolutely! (I should stop doing that, though.)
Instead, we should actually all be putting up our ugliest photos on dating apps, so that when people show up for dates, our matches are pleasantly surprised.
Remember, most of these awkward first date moments are normal. They happen to everyone. Plus, first dates are supposed to be a little bit awkward — that's the magic of them. If they run too smoothly, then you're both acting and playing it cool.
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