In order to set up an enjoyable first date, it’s important to know where both of your interests lie. Presumably, one of the primary goals of your date is for both you and your date to have an enjoyable time. While having a good time can simply be determined by who you are with, a first date is more likely to be influenced by what you are doing as well. With this in mind, deciding what to do and where to go on your first date may have a strong influence on whether or not you’ll get the second date you’re hoping for.
While “watching movies” is a common interest for much of the online dating community and is an easy solution when unsure of what to do, the truth is that heading to the movie theater doesn’t exactly make for a good first date. The first date should serve as an opportunity to get to know each another, and generally speaking, it’s considered rude to talk in the theater while the feature film is playing. If you truly think seeing a movie is a great idea for a first date, then consider trying something different such as an outdoor movie. When a movie is played outdoors, viewers are sitting or lying casually on blankets in a grassy field. Since it’s more of an open space, and because the movie is likely playing in a public location where noise is to be expected, it’s not considered rude to chat quietly during the movie like it is in an everyday theater.
Do both of you like coffee? Try going to a coffee house. Don’t just take her to your local Starbucks though — unless, of course, your date made it clear that that’s her favorite coffee ever. Instead, try taking her somewhere she might have never heard about. Is there a little known coffee house that you’ve been to that you enjoy, but most of your friends have never heard of? Is there a place that has a “must have” drink for someone who hasn’t tried it before? Consider questions like these when selecting a first date destination.
If you both enjoy the outdoors, setting a picnic is definitely a fun and romantic idea that allows you both to enjoy the weather and your choice of food while getting to know one another. Just remember, if you’re planning on setting up a date that involves being outside, then make sure you check the weather before you inadvertently plan a date for a rainy day!
Similarly, if you are both fans of dining out, attending a wine tasting could be a fun change of pace that falls within the realm of dining out while offering an interesting twist on the activity. It offers an open atmosphere where you can both talk. As an added bonus, you have the chance to learn about your date’s sense of taste to surprise her with a bottle of wine if the two of you agree to a second date.
Hopefully you’ve pinpointed the theme in each of these ideas: they are tied into the mutual interests of both persons going on the date in environments that allow you to get to know one another. This is certainly not to say that the date is a guaranteed success as a result — that’s up to the two of you — but it certainly will provide a better chance of things going the right way!
