PamelaDee
Striking up and maintaining a conversation can come naturally for some people, making a first date easy and stress-free. But for a lot of people, the thought and anticipation of a first date causes anxiety and worry, which can lead to awkward social interactions while on the date. This stress can come from figuring out what to wear, worrying if the other person will like you, and many other common first date stressors.
While it’s hard to make the anxiety of a first date go away completely, there are ways to help alleviate some of the anxiety and realizations to be made before and during the date. To see what some of these ways are, check out the list below.
Meditate.
Before you go on the date, try to meditate. Meditation is known to help alleviate anxiety, and it can put you into a good headspace before heading into your date.
Be yourself.
Don’t try to be someone you aren’t on your first date. In the end, the person you end up with will like you for you, not for someone you’re trying to be.
Practice your lines.
While this may sound silly, it may help to practice some basic answers before going on a date. If this is your first time meeting the other person, practice answering questions such as “What do you do?” and “Where are you from?” before your nerves trip you up during the date.
Get a new outfit and put effort into your appearance.
If you can afford to, pick up some new clothes or accessories before your first date. Find an outfit that you feel confident and comfortable in, and take some time to spruce yourself up before heading out to your date. The better you look, the better and more confident you’ll feel about yourself on the date.
Discuss expectations.
It may help to be honest with your date before actually going out with them. Whether it be discussing relationship expectations, social expectations, or anything else that you may want your date to know before meeting them, this may alleviate some of your anxiety.
Realize they may not be the one.
Don’t stress about a failed date before it even happens. A good realization to make is that the person you go on a date with may not be the one for you — and that’s okay. Plus, most people have more than one relationship before finding ‘the one’ anyway.
Understand the nerves.
If you’re nervous, chances are the other person is nervous too. Nobody is 100% confident before going on a first date, so understand that you aren’t alone in the way you feel. The most important thing is to be true to yourself and accept that you’re going to be nervous.
The more you start to understand your nerves, the better you’ll become at dating and the more confident you’ll feel about yourself. Nobody is perfect, and nobody goes into a first date without some nerves. Have a drink, practice some conversation starters, and go have fun!
