A blind date is an unquestionably nerve wrecking occasion, especially if you are fresh out of a long term relationship. I think that blind dates are high on the list of things that most people don’t like to do or out rightly hate to do. A blind date can be stressful unless you know what you are doing. Anyone can be nervous on a first date. However, the term ‘blind date’ implies never having seen the person you are going on a date with, and even if you have seen them before, you really don’t know much about them or have never met them; this indeed can be very scary.
Most of the time, we choose our dates for ourselves, but in this case, the match has been chosen for you, usually by a mutual friend. Do keep in mind that if you are both friends with this person, that the potential date can’t be that bad, or if they are, you might just be minus one friend. Location can make all the difference in the success rate of a blind date.
The whole goal of a first date is spending time getting to know more about the person. It would be ideal to choose a place where you won’t have to struggle to hear one another. It’s also very important that you choose a setting that isn’t overly romantic or intimate. Remember, this is only the beginning. Choose a place that allows you privacy and yet, is upbeat. One thing that could ease the tension is making sure the venue of the date meets your collective tastes.
Aside the venue for your date, you may still feel flustered on the inside. In that case, at least your outfit can help you look calm, cool and collected. Remember that you are more confident when your outfit amplifies your comfort. Although blind dates can generally be nerve racking, there are yet a few small tips that can help you breeze through your blind date so easily that you’ll be all set and ready for date number two.
Blind dates in the real sense don’t have to be scary. You can meet a wonderful person, have a great time and possibly be on the road to a long lasting relationship based on how you present yourself.
Here are a few tips that can help put you in tension-free mode with your date and also put you in the running for a second date.
Be open minded
Remember that if you set your expectations too high, you will surely be heading for disappointment. Secretly, we may all want good-looking, highly intellectual, slapstick funny dates with an abundance of cash. That’s not reality though. Be open-minded and free of high expectations of your date. This will allow you to relax and have a good time rather than setting yourself up for disappointment should the date not meet with your high expectations. It is advised not to be expectant of anything; rather, be yourself; be free and open to anything that might come out of the date. By so doing, you will not be disappointed.
Be yourself
Being yourself is easier said than done. One of the biggest mistakes that people make on blind dates is trying to be someone that they aren’t. Just be yourself. Ladies, don’t wear high heels if you normally wear sandals. If you are a jeans and T-shirt person, don’t have your date at a five-star restaurant. During the date, answer questions honestly and talk candidly about yourself without exaggerating.
Don’t get too personal
Don’t ask anything too personal and by the same token, don’t talk about how hurt you were after your past relationship; you don’t want to give away too much on the first date  simply because you are nervous and confused about what to say.  If you can’t think of anything to say, bring up the matchmaker; ask how long they’ve known each other.
Remember, the two of you do have common ground – the person that set you up, so use that to your advantage. Under no circumstance should you bad mouth or say anything negative about the matchmaker. If you’re really struggling for conversation topics during the date, just talk about whatever the two of you like to do and relate it to any past experience you may have had. If you both like rollerblading for example, talk about the time that you had a really bad fall and how now you always have to wear knee pads when you roller blade. It will bring humour into your conversation and break the ice. Well, you may not agree, but it seems to me that blind dates are high on the list of things
that most people dread.
BY MAIMUNA BAGUDU
